News

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 …

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 …

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

Alicia, born in the UK and in her 20s, tells her story from discovering she does not have the citizenship of the country in which she was born and grew up (first blog) to overcoming the shock and many barriers and registering her entitlement to British citizenship (second blog). Alicia’s first blog: British Born and Bred (April 2019) https://www.amnesty.org.uk/blogs/campaigns/british-born-and-bred …

Extract of joint submission: “We have found there to be a widespread misunderstanding of this area of law on the part of many people – including many lawyers, policy advocates, campaigners and parliamentarians. That misunderstanding has done and continues to do considerable harm to people born and growing up in this country. That harm is …

Amnesty UK  and PRCBC’s joint letter to the Minister following the debate regarding the continued misunderstanding and oversight of children’s rights to British citizenship, and the particular risk to children and young people in the care system arising from the EU settlement scheme. This is something on which Amnesty and PRCBC have previously written to …

We are grateful to the Inspector for meeting us and for raising our concerns on children’s  citizenship registration in connection with Home Office fees and in connection with the Good character requirement. ICIBI report on Home Office Fees https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/an-inspection-of-the-policies-and-practices-of-the-home-offices-borders-immigration-and-citizenship-systems-relating-to-charging-and-fees Home Office’s Response on Home Office’s Fees https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/response-to-an-inspection-of-home-office-bics-policies-and-practices-relating-to-charging-and-fees The detailed joint Briefing of PRCBC and Amnesty UK …

We are glad that we were able to provide some representations to the Inspector for both of his inspections in connection with children’s citizenship claims and the good character requirement: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/inspection-report-published-re-inspection-of-the-home-offices-application-of-the-good-character-requirement-in-the-case-of-young-persons-who-apply-f

PRCBC and Amnesty UK Briefing on Home Office children’s citizenship fee is now updated. This unjust fee is a barrier to thousands of children‘s rights to British citizenship. Fees_Briefing_Revised_March_2019

10am on 22 March, the Home Office announced by e-mail news alert that all citizenship applications are to be made online from that day.  The Home Office has failed to understand that online applications CANNOT be made mandatory in citizenship applications unless the British Nationality (General) Regulations are amended (s41 BNA 1981). PRCBC has sent …

“Children and their Rights to British Citizenship “ Here:  CHILDREN AND THEIR RIGHTS TO BRITISH CITIZENSHIP (MARCH 2019)

Are you or do know of a child with a right to register as a British citizen who cannot afford the Home Office registration fee of £1,012? If you do, please complete our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/citizenfee

“If we learn anything from Windrush it must be that the rights to British citizenship of children, and adults, should be the first priority of all. We cannot let that shameful moment in history repeat itself” https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/19/we-must-avoid-a-brexit-windrush

We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of our much respected and admirable patron, Barbara Harrell-Bond OBE. Barbara was a leading figure in the field of refugee studies. She founded the Refugee Studies Centre at Oxford University, the world’s first institution for the study of refugees. It now hosts an annual lecture series …

On 14 June 2018, PRCBC issued judicial review proceedings in the High Court to challenge this fee. Mishcon de Reya are acting pro bono as solicitors, and Amanda Weston QC and Richard Reynolds of Garden Court Chambers are acting pro bono as counsel, for PRCBC. PRCBC would like to thank the following for their support …

House of Lords Debate on Immigration and Nationality Fees Regulations 2018 and Children’s citizenship fees on 12 June 2018: Baroness Lister of Burtersett to move that this House regrets that the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2018 include a £39 increase in the fee for registering children entitled to British citizenship, given that only £372 of the …

Although the MK judgment has not changed the law in relation to paragraph 3 of Schedule 2, British Nationality Act 1981, it should lead to better Home Office de­cisions in relation to registration by entitlement under this provision. This judgment is also a reminder to prac­titioners to properly evidence rights of registration by ent­itlement. You …