Before submitting the naturalisation application, the applicant must pass the “Life in the UK” test, the cost of which is £50, but which may vary slightly depending on the place, date and time chosen to sit the test.
If the applicant is not a national of a majority English-speaking country and does not hold an undergraduate or postgraduate degree completed at a UK university, it is necessary to pass an English language test (only speaking and listening, not reading or writing), which costs £150.
Applying for naturalisation as a British citizen requires payment of an application fee of £1,580, which is charged by the Home Office and covers their costs of considering the application. It also includes the fee charged by the local council which organises, after the application has been approved by the Home Office, the ceremony during which the applicant makes an oath of allegiance (or an affirmation if they prefer not to swear by God) and a pledge, promising to respect the rights, freedoms and laws of the UK.
After submitting the application, an appointment must be made at the Visa Application Centre, where the applicant’s biometrics (fingerprints and a facial photo) will be collected. The appointment is made at one of the centres closest to the applicant’s home address. Depending on location, date and time, the appointment fee is at the time of this article between £139 and £249. The higher cost is charged by certain centres for an appointment on certain dates and times. A careful search will most likely lead to paying the lower rate of £139. Sometimes this may involve traveling a longer distance, to a more distant centre, or postponing the procedure for a few days or weeks.
To these costs can be added the fee charged by an immigration lawyer hired to deal with the application. The fees of these professionals differ, obviously. My fee to manage such an application from A to Z is £500. My advice is to use the qualified services of an immigration adviser or solicitor, because the naturalisation application, like many other immigration applications, is complex and involves the collection, preparation and submission of a large volume of evidence regarding the fulfillment of the conditions required by law. There is a danger that by administering the application alone, the applicant may not observe some legal requirements or provide all the required evidence and receive a refusal. If the application is refused, the fees paid may be lost, which is obviously not desirable. By using an accredited specialist to provide immigration and citizenship legal advice, the applicant optimises their chances of success, and the cost of the advice received is reduced compared to the benefits obtained.
Summarising the above, the estimated budget of an application for naturalisation as a British citizen is £2,419.
I am here to help
If you want to apply for British citizenship and need specialist advice, feel free to contact me. Please note that I am an accredited immigration adviser, not an employee of the UK Visas and Immigration. I charge fees for the advice provided.
