Are you someone or know someone who has been applying for UK citizenship? Then this is something that you must be aware of.
A recent analysis revealed British citizens are being charged over five times the amount it costs the Home Office to proceed with their application.
UK immigration news disappointed immigrants
In a surprising move, the current fee has been exponentially raised for naturalization as a British citizen is £1,709, while the estimated administrative cost of processing an application is only £324.
The unexpected raise has sparked a wave of disappointment among everyone.
Applicants who are paying £130 for a citizenship ceremony, bringing the total cost to £1,839.
The figures were underscored in an analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) that has criticised the increasing financial barriers facing people who are looking for British citizenship.
The Home Office raised the naturalisation fee by 6%, with applicants now paying £1,709. The UK also charges considerably more for citizenship as compared to other G7 countries.
The fee is over three times the next highest, with the United States charging the equivalent of about £562.
Multiple applicants face thousands of pounds in visa costs ahead of applying for citizenship. Moreover, they are also required to pay an immigration health charge of £1,035 per person each year.
Migration and refugee rights groups have issued a warning that higher fees could make citizenship unaffordable for some long-term residents and refugees who have already settled in the UK.
The IPPR said citizenship fees should be brought closer to the actual administrative cost and called for clearer routes to citizenship for long-term residents.
Additionally, the thinktank proposed superseding the existing Life in the UK test with a citizenship course and assessment focused on community life, British institutions and shared values.
The debate comes as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is likely to reconsider plans that could need several migrants to wait 10 years, rather than five, to qualify for settled status.
The Home Office said, “While we will always welcome those who come to this country and contribute to our national life, British citizenship is a privilege.
“It is right that those who benefit from the migration and borders system contribute towards its operation, reducing the burden on the taxpayer,” the Home Office added.
