British Citizenship Fees

British Citizenship fees to consider

Applying for British Citizenship can often seem like a cumbersome process to many. With many steps to consider, the process of becoming a British citizen requires precise attention and time.

One of the largest factors of applying for British Citizenship is the costs involved in the process. Of course, applicants must pay a British Citizenship application fee at the beginning of the application process, but, there are more costs integrated into the process of becoming a British Citizen.

Many applicants wanting British nationality are aware it can prove a costly process but do not necessarily know the specific costs required from them. These costs include Life in the UK test, English language tests, document translation, and lawyer fees, if applicable.

By becoming a British Citizen, foreign nationals are eligible for all of the benefits available to existing British Citizens, including the state pension, means-tested benefits and free healthcare.

For more information on how Manchester Immigration Lawyers can assist you with your British Citizenship application, call us today on 0161 826 9783, or fill in our contact form for further guidance.

How much does it cost to apply for British Citizenship?

To become a British citizen, you must undertake a rigorous application process, which includes paying the specified application fee.

Adults applying for British citizenship must pay £1,330 per application, whilst children will cost £1,012. This fee is non-refundable should your application be rejected by the Home Office.

In some cases, if you are unable to afford the British Citizenship fees, you may be eligible to apply for a fee waiver- this means that you will not have to pay the British Citizenship application fee.

You must be able to provide evidence of your income to determine if you would benefit from a fee waiver. You should send the following documents showing your income over the last 6 months:

• Pay slips
• Bank account statement for all of your accounts (including savings)
• Tenancy agreement
• Utility bills

You can apply for a fee waiver online via the Government website.

English Language test

If you are applying for British Citizenship after Indefinite Leave to Remain, then you will have already taken and passed a Secure English Language test.

For EU nationals who have previously been granted permanent residence or settled status, you must take a Secure English Language test before you can apply for British Citizenship. This must be a test at a minimum of B1 CEFR.

The typical cost of the English Language test with an approved provider is £150 in total. This fee will not be refunded should you fail the test. Therefore, you must pay another £150 fee for every test you take or resit.

Life in the UK test

The second test you must take to apply for British Citizenship is the Life in the UK test; a test consisting of questions based on British traditions and customs.

You must pass the test with a score of at least 75%.

If you have previously taken and passed the Life in the UK test for your Indefinite Leave to Remain application, then you do not need to re-take the test a second time.

The test will cost £50. Once again, you will not be eligible for a refund if you fail, therefore, it is of paramount importance that you take a considerable amount of time to prepare for your test. You can purchase resources online and take practice tests to help you revise.

Document translation

It is essential that all documents that you intend to submit in support of your British Citizenship application are translated into English or Welsh. Documents in any other language will not be accepted and could potentially result in your application being rejected by the UK Home Office.

You must seek professional guidance to translate the documents correctly, therefore, this will incur a cost to yourself. Approximately, it will cost £60 per document from a professional translator. In some instances, you may be able to get money off for multiple translations in one order.

You may need to translate the following documents:

• Your birth certificate
• Your marriage or divorce certificate
• Your degree certificate

However, this list is not just limited to these documents in particular.

Legal fees

Whilst the process of applying for British Citizenship or naturalisation is often complex and stressful, many applicants may opt to seek the assistance of a team of trained immigration lawyers. This comes at a cost and it is not something everybody can afford, thus, it is often beneficial to the application process.

The average cost of seeking legal advice can range from £700 to £3000 depending on the level of assistance you require.

It is not essential to seek legal advice and it remains at the discretion of the applicant.

Manchester Immigration Lawyers are highly trained legal experts with an extensive portfolio of successful British Citizenship applications. You can call our team today for further guidance.

How to apply for British Citizenship

You can apply to become a British Citizen online or by post.

Once you have filled out your application form, you should consider submitting your translated documents. Typically, if you have applied by post, you should send your documents tracked and recorded with your paper application form. For those applying online, you will have the opportunity to scan your documents and send them electronically.

After you have submitted all of the above, you should receive an email requesting for you to book an appointment with UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services to have your biometric information taken. This usually consists of fingerprints and photographs in order to confirm your identity.

In some instances, you must pay for this appointment- this is another cost to consider in British Citizenship fees.

You must then wait for a decision to be made by the Home Office. If you have submitted a successful British Citizenship application, you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony to confirm your new British Citizenship. After this, you may consider applying for an adult British passport.