UK Citizenship Fees Leave Families Destitute
Children born in the UK to migrant families are asked to pay £1,012 for a British citizen application after they pass the 10-year eligibility threshold. Even if they came to the UK as babies with their families, they still face additional charges of £8,521. The charity Citizens UK calculated that of the £1,012, only £372 is required for administration costs. Campaigners say the fees are forcing families into destitution. Large families have to cover the costs of both their own visas and one for every dependent child in the household. Some sacrifice essentials such as food to pay the fees.
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Judicial Review requested
Amnesty International is campaigning for a judicial review at the high court to reduce the British citizenship registration fee for children to £372 and scrap the fees for some children. The fee waivers already in place, are reserved for ‘exceptional circumstances’ and require evidence that the family is destitute and friends or family cannot lend them the money. Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor, has backed the review. Many now fear a repeat of the Windrush scandal as children that cannot to pay and verify their immigration status may face complications in the future. The Home Office said: “We keep Home Office fees under regular review. There are exceptions to visa application fees that protect the most vulnerable, such as for young people in the care of the local authority.”
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