Fee Waiver For Nationality Application For U18
Recently, the Home Office launched a new policy in relation to fee waivers for nationality applications for U18. As the name implies, it is for applicants under the age of 18 eligible to apply for British nationality.
This new policy ‘Citizenship fee waiver for individuals under 18’ was first introduced on 26 May 2022. It is for individuals who can not pay the British citizenship application fee, however, a fee waiver is granted only to eligible applicants.
Fee Waiver For Nationality Application For U18
An applicant, aged under 18, has to pay £1,012 at the time of applying for British citizenship. With this new policy, the child or their parents can apply for a fee waiver if they are unable to afford Home Office British nationality application fees.
To clarify, a fee waiver is not available for adult applicants for British citizenship. The applicant can either make an online application or print and complete a paper waiver request form to be submitted alongside the citizenship application.
If the fee waiver is granted, the applicant will receive a unique code to use when completing the main application. The citizenship application must be submitted within 28 days of the receipt of the token and provide biometrics within 45 days of the decision date.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants who are within the age limit and qualify for British citizenship registration can make a fee waiver request. An individual under 18 is eligible for British nationality if one of their parents got any of the following statuses after the child was born:
- They got British nationality, settled status, or ILR
- They obtained Indefinite Leave to Enter or permanent residence status
A fee waiver is submitted if the parent or legal guardian is unable to pay the British citizenship application because:
- They do not have enough funds left after paying accommodation and essential living costs;
- After paying the citizenship fee, there would not be enough money for meeting the child’s needs.
Affordability Test
To pass the affordability test, the applicant or their parents have to credibly demonstrate that they and the individuals providing financial support can not pay for the fee after meeting essential needs. Financial circumstances and essential living needs will be considered by the Home Office.
- If a friend, relative, or charitable organisation is supporting the applicant financially, they still have to prove their inability to pay the application fee.
- The applicant and their parents have tried to save for the foreseeable application in the last 6 months, however, were unable to.
The Home Office will also consider any savings held, surplus income, money spent on non-essential purchases, and whether or not the individual supporting the applicant can pay the fee.
Insufficient Income to Meet the Child’s Needs
The child’s well-being and best interests will be the priority of the Home Office in making the decision. The caseworker will consider if paying for the fee would result in the child being deprived of their favourite activities, for instance, school programs, sports lessons, etc.
The applicant will qualify for a fee waiver if paying the fee would result in the inability to meet the child’s needs due to low income.
Applying For Fee Waiver
The applicant must provide supporting evidence including bank statements, pay slips, utility bills, and type of accommodation at the time of submitting an application. The Home Office officials will carefully review the information and make a decision to grant or refuse a fee waiver within a few weeks.
