The process of becoming a British citizen is life-changing for people who want to live in the United Kingdom. To become a citizen, you have to do more than just follow the law and meet the eligibility standards. Getting British citizenship also comes with a price tag, so it’s important to know how much is Bristish Citizenship fees to get the status.
In 2024, the cost of becoming a British citizen is £1500 for naturalisation and £1351 for becoming an adult citizen.
Ensure you have enough funds to cover the entire British citizenship application process before starting. Here is a list of some of the costs you can expect to face on your way to becoming a British citizen.
British Citizenship Fees As of 2024
You can become a British citizen in a number of different ways, and the fees you pay will vary depending on which way you choose. The most usual way is to become a British citizen by naturalisation. From October 4, 2023, this will cost £1,500.
It costs £1000 for people from British overseas regions to become British citizens.
As of October 4, 2023, it will cost £1,351 for an adult to register as a British citizen. For children, it will cost £1,214.
You can see a full list of all the fees that come with applying for British citizenship below. With the new fees that start on October 4, 2023, we have added the old prices as well.
Sr No. | Type of Application | Old Cost | Cost from 4th October 2023 |
1 | Naturalisation (British citizenship) | £1,250 | £1,580 |
2 | Naturalisation British overseas territory citizens | £1,000 | £1,000 |
3 | Registration – Adult | £1,126 | £1,351 |
4 | Registration – Child | £1,012 | £1,214 |
5 | Citizenship ceremony | £80 | £80 |
6 | the taking of a citizenship oath | £5 | £5 |
7 | Registration of citizenship for adults who are British citizens living in overseas territories, British subjects, or British protected people | £901 | £901 |
8 | Child nationality registration for British overseas territory citizen, British Subjects, British overseas citizens, or British protected persons | £810 | £810 |
9 | Renunciation of nationality | £372 | £372 |
10 | UK right of abode certificate application | £372 | £372 |
11 | Nationality review | £372 | £372 |
12 | Non-acquisition Letter | £250 | £250 |
13 | Status Letter | £250 | £250 |
14 | Nationality correction to certificate | £250 | £250 |
15 | Nationality – giving out a certified copy of a statement, notice, certificate, or order | £250 | £250 |
16 | Nationality reissued Certificate | £250 | £250 |
17 | British citizenship by marriage fees | – | £1,630 |
18 | British citizenship by investment fees | £1330 | £1330 |
The application fee is the only cost that most candidates will have to pay for their application. Moreover, the event fee and the biometric information collection fee are part of the naturalisation application. These fees don’t apply to people who want to become British citizens by registering.
If you don’t give your biometric information when you apply for naturalisation, your application will be deemed incomplete and denied. Additionally, the registration fee you paid will be returned to you, less a £25.
Do you need to pay any other fees?
Keep in mind that the application fee for the Home Office might not be the only fee you have to pay.
People who want to become naturalised will also have to pay £19.20 to have their fingerprints and picture taken.
You will have to take an approved language test, which can cost more than £150, to show that you meet the English language standard.
The Life in the UK test costs £50 each time it is taken. You will have to pay the test fee again if you need to take it again.
Additionally, if the originals of your supporting papers are not in English or Welsh, you will need certified document translations. Some examples of this kind of proof are your birth certificate, marriage certificate, or degree.
Due to the high cost and duration of the naturalisation application, most people choose to get professional help and hire an immigration lawyer to handle the application on their behalf.
When to pay the fees for British Citizenship?
The fee for becoming a citizen is due when you send in your application. UKVI will not accept the application if you do not pay the fee, and they will charge a £25 administration fee.
Can I get my British citizenship fees back?
You can’t return or transfer the registration fee. This applies to denied or withdrawn applications. Because of this, people who want to become citizens must make sure that their application is correct, full, and thorough, and that they send in all of the necessary supporting documents in the right format.
Who doesn’t have to pay fees for British citizenship?
There is the possibility that you will not have to pay the fee if you apply for British citizenship by registration. In the following situations you don’t have to pay the fees for British citizenship:
- Child registration under 18
- British citizenship for stateless people
- If you were born in the UK on or after January 1, 1983, and lived here until you were 10 years old, you can become a British citizen.
- Setting up your account as a British citizen if you are a British subject, an overseas citizen, a British protected person, or a British national (overseas) and do not hold any other citizenship or nationality.
- You can become a British citizen by registering as a British Overseas Territories citizen, a British Overseas citizen, a British protected person, a British subject, or a British National (Overseas).
- Registration as a British citizen by living in Hong Kong before 1997 (only paper forms)
You have to ask for a fee refund before you send in your application for British citizenship. In case of fee waiver, UKVI will give you a code to send with your application instead of payment.
Fee waiver tokens can only be used by the person who applied for them in the first place. You must show that you can’t pay the full application fee in order to be qualified for the fee waiver. For a child’s application, you might need to show that paying the fee could harm their health.
How to plan for additional expenses related to British citizenship?
Be ready to pay the full fee if you don’t qualify for a fee waiver. Moreover, you won’t be able to send in your application until you pay the whole fee.
Informing your bank about a large transaction before submitting your application will help. This can expedite the review process. When this happens, banks often take back the cash because they think it might be fraud. This could slow down or stop your application if it happens.
For instance, your application would be turned down if you don’t know about the fee refund and UKVI can’t get in touch with you for any reason. This won’t cost you any money. But since you haven’t paid the entry fee yet, it could make the process take a lot longer than it needs to.
The best way to avoid fees you didn’t expect is to know how to apply. If you are having trouble with any part of the application, it is beneficial to get help from a professional. This can assist you stay away from fees you didn’t expect.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the British citizenship fee in 2024?
As of October 4, 2023, the cost for a British citizenship application is £1,500 per adult, plus an additional £130 for the naturalisation ceremony, totaling £1,630 per adult. While Child applications cost £1,214 each.
What do I need to apply to become a British citizen?
You will need to show proof that you meet all the requirements for naturalisation. You will also need to prove that you are who you say you are and that you are legally in the UK.
What is the cost of a British passport?
Starting April 11, 2024, the fee for applying for a first adult British passport online is £88.50, and £53.50 for a child passport.
Final Thoughts
UK Immigration Solicitors is an immigration law company that has a lot of experience helping people apply for British citizenship. We are professional and focused on getting results, and we know a lot about immigration law. If you need help with your visa application or anything else related to UK immigration law, please call us at 02033844389 or email us today. We’re ready to assist you!