Judicial review at an oral hearing
We are really glad to announce that on 13 October 2021, the High Court (Deputy High Court Judge Richard Hermer QC) granted the Claimant (BC) permission to apply for judicial review at an oral hearing. The grounds on which permission was granted concern: The Claimant was represented by: with assistance of:
Joint Submissions to the Public Bill Committee on Part 1 (Nationality) of the Nationality & Borders Bill
We have the pleasure to share our joint submissions with Amnesty International UK to the Public Bill Committee in connection with Part 1 (Nationality) of this Bill:
Update on various PRCBC policy and casework on Children’s British Citizenship matters
We wish to provide the following updates on a number of PRCBC key court challenges and policy work: 1. Section 3(1) BNA 1981 (registration of children by discretion) Further to our previous update on this page and note circulated to professional individuals and google groups on our section 3(1) High Court challenge which was settled …
PRCBC & O v SSHD citizenship fee case heard by the Supreme Court on 23 and 24 June 2021
On 23 and 24 June, the Supreme Court heard PRCBC & O v SSHD citizenship fee case. You can watch the hearing by following this link: The Supreme Court will deliver judgment in due course. It’s unclear how soon save to note that the court had treated PRCBC & O as expedited cases. We will …
Amendment to the British Nationality Act 1981 to take effect from 1 July 2021
Draft Regulations have been laid (British Nationality Act 1981 (Immigration Rules Appendix EU) (Amendment) Regulations 2021). These are intended to amend the British Nationality Act 1981 so that a child born to an European Union citizen on or after 1 July 2021, who is not born a British citizen will automatically acquire British citizenship if …
The Home Office have settled PRCBC judicial review test cases on children seeking to register as British citizens by discretion
The Home Office settled five judicial review claims brought by teenagers challenging the policy under which they were refused registration as British citizens under section 3(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981. All five young people have been assisted by PRCBC and were represented by our solicitor, Solange Valdez-Symonds. Each of these young people was …
Court of Appeal Judgment on Children’s Citizenship Fee
The Court of Appeal has today upheld the High Court ruling that the £1,012 fee for a child to register as a British citizen is unlawful because it is set without consideration of the best interests of children. Two judges also indicate they see “considerable force” in PRCBC’s argument that the fee is additionally unlawful …
Court of Appeal citizenship fee decision
The Court of Appeal will hand down its judgment in R (PRCBC & O v Secretary of State for the Home Department) on the Home Office fee for children to register as British citizens at 10.30 am on Thursday, 18 February 2021. Further information will be posted here on PRCBC’s website when the judgment is …
Court of Appeal citizenship fee case
Last week the Court of Appeal heard the challenge of PRCBC & O to the Home Office £1,012 fee for children to register their right to British citizenship. The decision from the court is now pending. Further information will be posted here on PRCBC’s website when it is available. For now, we must await the …
Our two joint Amnesty and PRCBC Briefings for Nationality and Borders Bill (Part 1- British Nationality): House of Lords Committee Stage (to be debated on 27 January 2022)
Briefing on Deprivation in Part 1 of the Nationality and Borders Bill: Briefing on Good Character, Chagossians, Fees and Stateless Children in Part 1 of the Nationality and Borders Bill:
On Tuesday and Wednesday 6-7 October 2020, the Court of Appeal will hear PRCBC & O’s challenge to the Home Office’s “huge” children’s citizenship fee
The hearing will be live streamed broadcast and accessible from the judiciary’s website here: https://www.judiciary.uk/you-and-the-judiciary/going-to-court/court-of-appeal-home/the-court-of-appeal-civil-division-live-streaming-of-court-hearings/. The video will also be accessible from the court website after the hearing. The video is only shared with YouTube. For our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on case: FAQ4_PRCBC_Aug2020docx FAQ4_PRCBC_Aug2020docx For our note on the case : note_fees_litigation_sept_2020Download
PRCBC and Amnesty UK joint Briefings to the Lords
Our joint Briefings to the Lords on the Immigration and Social Security Coordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill 2019-2021 concerning children, including children in care, can be found here: 28 September 2020 Briefing Word Version joint-aiuk-prcbc-briefing-immigration-bill-2019-2021-amendment-16-british-citizenship Lords_Briefing_Joint AIUK PRCBC_EU Withdrawal_ Bill 2019-2021 PDF version Joint AIUK PRCBC Briefing Immigration Bill 2019-2021 (Amendment 16 – British citizenship) July …
Waiver of Citizenship Ceremony under special circumstances
Our letter to the immigration minister inviting him to urgently consider using existent power under the British Nationality Act 1981 to waive the need for people to attend a citizenship ceremony during the pandemic. Joint AIUK PRCBC Briefing Immigration Bill 2019-2021 (Amendment 16 – British citizenship) LettertoMinisterCitizenshipCeremoniesSept2020
Court of Appeal citizenship fee challenge has been listed for a full hearing on 6-7 October 2020
For more information, see our FAQs4 (August 2020): faq4_prcbc_aug2020docx-2 (PDF version) faq4_prcbc_aug2020docx (word version) For our note on court case: note_fees_litigation_sept_2020
PRCBC and Amnesty UK joint Briefing to the Lords
Our joint Briefing to the Lords on the Immigration and Social Security Coordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill 2019-2021 concerning children, including children in care, can be found here: lords_briefing_joint-aiuk-prcbc_eu-withdrawal_-bill-2019-2021-2
Court of Appeal grants permission to PRCBC & Ors to appeal in children citizenship fee case
On 12 June 2020, Lord Justice Phillips granted permission to PRCBC to appeal against the decision of the High Court that the Secretary of State’s fee-making powers permit her to charge fees for children to register their statutory rights to British citizenship that are unaffordable or set at above administrative cost. Please find our updated …
PRCBC has moved to its new office
We are thrilled to announce that we have moved to our new office at 174 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JP. We are now regulated by OISC at Level 3 and running our children and young persons citizenship casework services independently. The Board is grateful to the following organisations and individuals who have advised and assisted in making this …
Supreme Court requires PRCBC, O and A to ask the Court of Appeal to consider lawfulness of Home Office children’s citizenship fees
The Supreme Court has today refused permission for PRCBC, O and A to appeal by leapfrog against the decision of the High Court that the Secretary of State’s fee-making powers permit her to charge fees for children to register their statutory rights to British citizenship that are unaffordable or set at above administrative cost. The …
PRCBC young people featured in Youth Justice Week 2020 Photography Exhibition
Our young Aminat, Maryan and Linden are featured in this year’s Youth Justice week photography exhibition by the one and only photographer Alice Mutasa. Date: 24 February- 6 March 2020 Venue: Law Society
PRCBC has been registered as a charity by the Charities Commission
The Board of Trustees is hugely grateful to Bateswell for their pro bono advice and assistance in PRCBC’s application to register as a charity with the Charities Commission. PRCBC registration number is 1187681. For more information: https://beta.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1187681&subid=0 Carol Bohmer, Chair of PRCBC, 31/1/2020
PRCBC High Court challenge on children’s citizenship fee
Video film outside high court, Simon Israel, Channel 4 News: https://www.channel4.com/news/childrens-excessively-high-citizenship-fees-criticised Good to see Parliament immediately pressing Government on its response to our court case on children’s citizenship fee but sad to see nothing of substance in Ministers’ responses in Commons & Lords: Col 317 (our gratitude to Stuart Mc Donald MP): http://bit.ly/2ZYsE9s We are …
High Court handed down judgment
On 19 December 2019, the High Court handed down judgment in PRCBC & Ors v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2019] EWHC 3536 (Admin). The court found that the Secretary of State had failed to assess and give primary consideration to the best interests of children when setting the fee for children to register as …