UK Lists 2 Categories of Children Who Can Apply for British Citizenship for Free

• The UK government has outlined conditions under which children can apply for British citizenship without paying the standard application fee
• One category covers children who qualify for a fee waiver, which must be approved before the citizenship application is submitted
• A second category applies to children in the care of a local authority, who are exempt from the fee entirely under a different process

The United Kingdom government has published guidance identifying two categories of children who are eligible to obtain British citizenship without paying the standard application fee, a development drawing attention among Nigerian families exploring the Japa route.

The information, shared via the UK government's official portal, outlines distinct pathways depending on a child's circumstances.

Children who can apply for fee waiver

1. The first category covers children who are not in local authority care but whose families cannot afford the citizenship application fee. These children can apply online for a fee waiver before submitting the citizenship application itself. Crucially, the fee waiver decision must come through before the citizenship application is lodged.

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One notable detail in the guidance addresses children who turn 18 while waiting for a fee waiver decision. According to the UK government, such applicants can still proceed with their citizenship application as a child, and will retain eligibility for the fee waiver if they qualify for it, even if they have crossed the age threshold by the time a decision is issued.

2. The second category applies to children who are currently being looked after by a local authority. These children do not need to apply for a fee waiver at all. Instead, when submitting the citizenship application, the applicant or their representative must include evidence confirming that the child is under local authority care. In such cases, the application is processed at no cost automatically.

The guidance makes clear that children in this situation should not go through the fee waiver route, as the two processes are separate.

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For Nigerian families navigating the UK immigration system, the distinction matters. The fee for a standard child citizenship application in the UK runs into hundreds of pounds, making the waiver and care-based exemptions significant for those who qualify.

In a similar report, Legit.ng published that the UK released a list of four occupations that exempt citizens of 82 countries requiring ETA to enter.

UK lists conditions for permanent residence

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK announced the conditions immigrants must meet to secure Indefinite Leave to Remain in the country through the long residence route. The rules cover 10 years of continuous legal residence, time spent outside Britain, the Life in the UK Test and English language skills.

For many foreign nationals, the route could offer a path to permanent residence after a decade in the country. But strict limits on travel and exclusions covering several visa categories mean even small details in an applicant’s immigration history could affect their eligibility.

Source: Legit.ng