A child’s application for British citizenship costs £1,012. For youngsters under 18, the Home Office has lately provided fee waivers for registration citizenship applications if they or their parents show that they cannot afford it. On May 26, 2022, comprehensive guidance on child fee waivers for youth under 18 applying for citizenship registration was available. A “child” and “applicant” are both people who are under the age of 18. This article will provide an overview of the official instructions on applying for a child fee waiver, who is eligible to apply, and what documentation is required.
Making an Affordability Application for British Citizenship Fee Waiver
There are two approaches to submitting a fee waiver application. You must submit the citizenship application online. Those whose request for an online fee waiver that has been approved will be given a unique code number to use while finishing their application. Following the decision to waive the charge, you must submit your citizenship application and biometrics within 28 and 45 calendar days.
If you submit a paper fee waiver request, the result will be sent to you along with a request to enrol your biometrics. Additionally, this needs to be delivered in 45 calendar days.
The guidance covers the following categories of applications:
- Form MN1: children under the age of 18 must register;
- Forms S2 and S3: Stateless person registration as a British citizen. If you were born in the UK on or after January 1, 1983, and resided here until you turned 10, you must complete Form T to register as a British citizen.
- Form B(OS): Suppose you are a British Overseas citizen, a British subject, a British-protected person, or a British National (Overseas) and do not have any other citizenship or nationality. In that case, you must register as a British citizen using Form B(OS).
- Form B(OTA): Suppose you are a citizen of the British Overseas Territories, British Overseas, a British protected person, a British subject, or a British National (Overseas). In that case, you must register as a British citizen using Form B(OTA).
Application Fee Waiver for Citizenship Registration for Under-18s Eligibility
The applicant (the child) and the parent(s) must meet the following criteria to qualify for the application to be approved:
- They clearly show they cannot pay the charge and that their income is insufficient for the child’s needs.
The affordability test
According to Home Office fee waiver guidance, this is when the applicant and the parent(s) do not have enough money to demonstrate that you cannot afford the charge. Until their basic requirements for food and shelter have been met, as well as those of any more children. It suggests that the applicant or the person(s) providing for them financially cannot pay the fee if they also have to cover basic expenses.
After considering housing costs and necessities, the Home Office will consider the surplus income. Utilities, food, clothing, toiletries, over-the-counter medications, and household cleaning supplies are among the necessities of life. It considers everything from travel expenses to the communication needs to support the child’s ability to access a reasonable social, cultural, and religious life.
Various applicants will have different required living needs, determined case by case. If you can show that you cannot afford the charge while meeting necessary demands, the Home Office will consider that. All financial factors will be taken into account, including:
- If someone else provides for the applicant, their parent(s), and any additional dependents’ housing and basic needs, the applicant and their parent(s) can nonetheless convincingly show that they cannot pay the fee.
- Family and friends, a local government, an NGO or charity, or the government of their native nation may offer this help. Any funds held in savings or attempts made to save for the fee over a fair time in the previous six months.
- To qualify for a waiver, a person must be unable to pay the price or have no way of saving up for it shortly. If the applicant or parent(s) spent more money than was necessary for basic needs.
The Home Office will assess your application based on several factors. Among them are the following:
- How and by whom basic requirements are satisfied;
- Every source of income, including bonds and investments owned;
- If there is money left over after paying for housing and other requirements of life, that can be used to cover the fee;
- The presence of any unauthorised or excessive purchases.
- It includes holidays or upscale purchases;
- Is the applicant or their parent(s) dependent on another person for support?
Proof Needed for a Child Citizenship Registration Affordability Fee Waiver Application
To qualify for a fee waiver, the applicant and their parent(s) must prove they cannot pay the citizenship registration application fee. The offered proof must be convincing and clear. The parent(s)’ salary, the type of housing they live in, the amount of their rent or mortgage, and any other outgoing expenses should all be shown in the documentation of their financial situation. It could take the form of:
- Banking records
- Payslips rent agreement
- Utility statements
Conclusion
It is not necessary to pay the fee if the application is submitted on behalf of a child in the care of a local authority or a child in a comparable situation that happens outside of the UK. Therefore, neither a request form for a fee waiver nor proof of financial situation is necessary. Instead, the primary citizenship application should make mention of this exemption. My Legal Services provides personalised service, taking into account the unique circumstances of each case and offering tailored solutions to maximise the chances of a successful fee waiver outcome.
