Citizenship fee waiver for children under 18

You can apply for a fee waiver for children under 18 so you do not have to pay a citizenship application fee. The applicant must be under 18. Each applicant requesting a fee waiver must complete a separate fee waiver request form.

The UK Home Office published a new policy that allows anyone under 18 who is eligible to register for British citizenship to have their application fee waived if they cannot afford it.

The fee for a British citizenship application for a child is £1,214 from 04 October 2023. You can apply for a fee waiver so you do not have to pay a citizenship application fee. If you’re applying online for your fee waiver, you must get your decision before you apply for citizenship.

Children can now apply for a waiver of citizenship fees

Requests for a fee waiver must be made through either the online waiver request form or the paper waiver request form. Where a waiver request is made online, the citizenship application must also be made online, with the same principle applying to paper applications.

Eligibility – citizenship fee waiver for children under 18

You can apply for a fee waiver if you’re under 18 and are eligible for British citizenship.

You can become a British citizen if one of your parents considered the UK as their home and did any of the following after you were born:

  • became a British citizen
  • got indefinite leave to remain in the UK
  • got ‘settled status’ (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain under the EU Settlement Scheme’)
  • got indefinite leave to enter the UK
  • got permanent residence status

You can apply for a fee waiver if you and your parent or guardian cannot pay the fee because:

  • you do not have a place to live and cannot afford one
  • you’re unable to afford essential living costs like food and heating
  • you do not have enough money to pay the fee after paying for your accommodation and other essential living costs
  • paying the fee would mean a child’s needs cannot be met

There’s more information in the ‘affordability’ section of the guidance on how the Home Office will process your fee waiver application.

Your parent or legal guardian can apply on your behalf. They can include their other children in the same application.

Applicants eligible for a fee waiver

Anyone under the age of 18 who is eligible to register for citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981 may request for the relevant fee to be waived.

This guidance applies to the following types of application:

  • Form MN1: Registration of children under the age of 18
  • Form S2 and S3: Registration as a British citizen if you are a stateless person
  • Form T: Registration as a British citizen if you were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983 and lived here until you were 10 years old
  • Form B(OS): Registration as a British citizen if you are a British Overseas citizen, British subject, British protected person, or British National (Overseas) and have no other citizenship or nationality
  • Form B(OTA): Registration as a British citizen if you are a British Overseas Territories citizen, a British Overseas citizen, a British protected person, a British subject, or a British National (Overseas)
  • Form EM: Registration as a British Citizen through residence in Hong Kong before 1997

You can call us on 01614644140 to discuss citizenship fee waiver for children under 18. There is no fee waiver for citizenship applications made by adults.

Child citizenship fee waiver request form

You can apply for the child citizenship fee waiver by submitting the request form either online or by post.

To request a citizenship fee waiver by post you need to fill in a Child citizenship fee waiver request form and send it to the address on the form.

You can make a British citizenship fee waiver request online. Submitting fee waiver requests online is generally quicker than submitting an application by post.

What is the affordability definition?

You will need to pass the affordability test to apply for citizenship fee waiver for individuals under 18. Under the affordability test, the applicant and parent(s) are considered unable to pay the fee when they do not have sufficient funds at their disposal to pay the required fee after meeting their essential living needs and continuing to meet any other child’s essential needs, such as housing and food. This is the primary assessment for whether a fee waiver should be granted for a citizenship fee waiver for children under 18 or not.

Affordability Fee Waivers: Citizenship Registration for Under-18’s

The applicant and parent(s) are considered unable to pay the fee when they do not have sufficient funds at their disposal to pay the required fee after meeting their essential living needs and continuing to meet any other child’s essential needs, such as housing and food. This is the primary assessment for whether a fee waiver should be granted.

Can a citizenship fee waiver for children under 18 be refused?

A citizenship fee waiver for children under 18 can be refused if the applicant or parent(s) fail to provide reliable information about their circumstances including source of income and expenses.

Evidence of financial circumstances showing the income of the parent(s), type of accommodation, amount of their rent/mortgage, and any outgoing payments should be provided. This may be in the form of: 

  • Bank statements
  • Payslips
  • Tenancy agreement
  • Utility bills

Immigration lawyers fee for citizenship fee waiver for children under 18

Our immigration lawyers will charge a fixed fee starting from £400 to £600 for your citizenship fee waiver for children under 18.

Get a citizenship application fee waiver if you’re under 18

You can apply for a fee waiver so you do not have to pay a citizenship application fee. If you’re applying online for your fee waiver, you must get your decision before you apply for citizenship.

Applying for a British citizenship fee waiver for a child can be complex. If you need help or have questions, call Deluxe Law Chambers at 01614644140 for expert legal advice and assistance.

At Deluxe Law Chambers, we provide tailored services to support your fee waiver application. Our highly experienced immigration solicitors offer:

✅ Initial consultation to assess your case.
✅ Comprehensive document checks to ensure accuracy.
✅ Expert guidance in preparing and submitting your fee waiver application.
✅ Support with reapplications if your request is denied.
✅ Strategic legal advice for complex cases.

For professional legal assistance, contact Deluxe Law Chambers today!

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