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Please help: Query regarding child's citizenship application

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:14 pm
by Shah1234
Hi All,

Yesterday, me and my wife were granted ILR.

My son is 3 years old and was born in India. He has a PBS dependant visa valid until 31st March 2018.

My query (in order to saved couple of thousand pounds): Is there any option for my son to skip ILR and apply directly for citizenship next year? i.e. when I get my citizenship approved lets say by end of next year, can he directly then apply for citizenship as he would be a child of a BC?

The reason and timing of this question is that if the answer to the above questions is No, then I will have to apply for his ILR before the new visa fees hike in April :(

Please advise.

Regards,
Rish

Re: Please help: Query regarding child's citizenship applica

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:17 pm
by secret.simon
Shah1234 wrote:Is there any option for my son to skip ILR
No.

Had he been born in the UK, then yes. Otherwise, no.
Shah1234 wrote:The reason and timing of this question is that if the answer to the above questions is No, then I will have to apply for his ILR before the new visa fees hike in April
Good idea.

Re: Please help: Query regarding child's citizenship applica

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:22 pm
by noajthan
Shah1234 wrote:Hi All,

Yesterday, me and my wife were granted ILR.

My son is 3 years old and was born in India. He has a PBS dependant visa valid until 31st March 2018.

My query (in order to saved couple of thousand pounds): Is there any option for my son to skip ILR and apply directly for citizenship next year? i.e. when I get my citizenship approved lets say by end of next year, can he directly then apply for citizenship as he would be a child of a BC?

The reason and timing of this question is that if the answer to the above questions is No, then I will have to apply for his ILR before the new visa fees hike in April :(

Please advise.

Regards,
Rish
Registration in such cases will be at Home Secretary's discretion as child was born outside UK & you were not settled in UK at time.

Minors are expected to be settled in UK (ie free of immigration time restrictions) & with a clear future in UK.
For a non-EEA national that means ILR.

You can read chapter & verse of the relevant guidance here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 150402.pdf

Re: Please help: Query regarding child's citizenship applica

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 2:26 pm
by Demaga2016
Hello all,

I have just registered in this forum.

I am in a similar situation, and I would like to know if is there any way to skip ho fees....

I am settled and my children were born here before I got settled. I would like to register them as British citizen but the hoffice fees are so high!
Is there any possibility to skip these fees after I get the citizenship?

Thanks in advance

Re: Please help: Query regarding child's citizenship applica

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 2:52 pm
by noajthan
Demaga2016 wrote:Hello all,

I have just registered in this forum.

I am in a similar situation, and I would like to know if is there any way to skip ho fees....

I am settled and my children were born here before I got settled. I would like to register them as British citizen but the hoffice fees are so high!
Is there any possibility to skip these fees after I get the citizenship?

Thanks in advance
Registration and the privilege of citizenship is optional so noone is compelled to pay to register.
The policy of Home Office is that users of the immigration 'service' pay for that service.
There is no way to register as a citizen for free.

Re: Please help: Query regarding child's citizenship applica

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 2:55 pm
by Casa
No concession the skip the fees for a MNI application. The indicative fee increase just announced for April 2016 is £936 for a child's Registration. For your interest, an adult's application for BC will be £1,041 + the ceremony fee.

Re: Please help: Query regarding child's citizenship applica

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 3:10 pm
by secret.simon
Demaga2016 wrote:I am settled and my children were born here before I got settled. I would like to register them as British citizen but the hoffice fees are so high!
If your children were born in the UK, they are entitled to register (i.e. they can not be refused) as British citizens once you get ILR and do not need ILR themselves. It is not possible to skip the fees for registration itself, if that is your question. But at least they can save on ILR.

The OP's case was different. As the children were born abroad, they must get ILR in their own right and then register as British citizens. And even then, it is at discretion.

Re: Please help: Query regarding child's citizenship applica

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 4:41 pm
by Demaga2016
Thanks for have replied.

I just want to clarify one point...
Once I get the British citizenship next year and only apply for my children citizenship after that can I skip the fees (£749 per child until April 2016) or I will have to pay the fees anyway?

Thks

Re: Please help: Query regarding child's citizenship applica

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 4:59 pm
by CR001
Demaga2016 wrote:Thanks for have replied.

I just want to clarify one point...
Once I get the British citizenship next year and only apply for my children citizenship after that can I skip the fees (£749 per child until April 2016) or I will have to pay the fees anyway?

Thks
You cannot avoid the fees. They are payable by all applicants.

Re: Please help: Query regarding child's citizenship applica

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 5:26 pm
by Casa
Bear in mind when budgeting for your children's MNI registration, if you don't apply until after you have BC next year, the fee will be £936 and maybe more by then for each child.