Updated leaflet for Parents, Children and Carers
“Children and their Rights to British Citizenship “ Here: CHILDREN AND THEIR RIGHTS TO BRITISH CITIZENSHIP (MARCH 2019)
Survey on children’s citizenship fees
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
Children and young adults of EU nationals born in the UK
“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
On 27 November 2018, the High Court granted permission at an oral hearing for PRCBC to challenge the children’s citizenship registration fee.
The High Court is asked by PRCBC to review whether the £1,012 fee imposed on children to register as British citizens – described by the current Home Secretary as “a huge amount of money” – is lawful. The fee bars many children born in the UK, children who have lived here nearly all their lives …
Westminster Hall Debate on Children’s Citizenship fees on 4 September 2018
Please see Joint PRCBC and Amnesty UK Briefing here: Briefing_Westminster_Debate_children citizenship fee Please see also Steve Valdez-Symonds’ very important commentary on 1981 Parliamentary Debates on British Nationality Bill relating to children’s citizenship rights and fees: Commentary_ Hansard BNA 1981 _registration_Aug 2018 Please sign Amnesty UK and PRCBC petition here: https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/home-office-stop-profiteering-childrens-rights See video clip: Home Office: …
Barbara Harrell-Bond (OBE)
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 …
PRCBC issues High Court challenge to children’s citizenship registration fee
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 …
Children’s Citizenship Fees: Debate in the House of Lords and Early Day Motion in the House of Commons
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 …
High Court declines to rule on lawfulness of exorbitant fee preventing many children from claiming their right to British citizenship
Yesterday, the High Court declined to rule on the lawfulness of a near £1,000 fee preventing many children registering the British citizenship to which they are legally entitled. The fee is a barrier to tens of thousands of children from claiming their citizenship. The court acknowledged, having received substantial evidence, that thousands of children are …
Stateless children born in UK and MK judgment
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 …
Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year in the children’s rights category
We are honoured that our solicitor/director has been awarded the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2017 in the category of Children’s Rights in recognition of the outstanding work she and her team of volunteers have done for PRCBC.
Youth workshop – let’s talk citizenship
Anyone under 24 is welcome to come and learn more about citizenship and why it is important – how it can make a difference to future studies and opportunities! You can be part of an action group sharing this knowledge and raising awareness in the community! While the workshop will not focus on individual legal …
Take action
Use this Briefing on Fees to ask your Member of Parliament to call on the Government to act on our recommendations:
British Registration Fee increase
Government continues to profiteer from young persons right to register as British citizens The extortionate Home Office application fee to register as a British citizen has increased to £973 for children, £1,163 for young adults and £1,282 for those young persons applying to naturalise. There is no fee waiver or reduction on a registration application fee for …
Our article for social workers and looked after children
SocialWorkArticle_April 2017
Government continues to profiteer from young persons right to register as British citizens
The extortionate Home Office application fee to register as a British citizen is currently at £936 for children, £1,121 for young adults and £1,236 for those young persons applying to naturalise. There is no fee waiver or reduction on a registration application fee for those young persons who cannot afford to pay this very high fee …
PRCBC’s Legal Research on “good character” requirement for children’s registration as British citizens
A child applying to register as a British citizen who is aged ten must satisfy the Secretary of State that he is of ‘good character’. This is a mandatory application requirement. There is no legal definition of ‘good character’ and therefore no statutory guidance on its interpretation and how it should be applied. The Secretary of State’s …
We are grateful for the amendment to the Immigration Bill 2015 tabled by Baroness Lister
This particular amendment would mean: i) a Home Office fee exemption on registration of children as British Citizens who are receiving assistance from the local authority ii) for any child’s registration as British citizen fee to only include the Home Office cost of processing an application iii) a fee waiver for a child who cannot …
Monthly Saturday advice/casework surgery
Our March and April monthly Saturday slots are now full. Thank you to Deighton Pierce Glynn solicitors for giving us free office space to run our monthly surgeries and to Asylum Aid for hosting PRCBC.
Immigration Bill 2015
Lord Alton’s tabled amendment We are grateful for the amendment to the Immigration Bill 2015 tabled by Lord Alton. This particular amendment is intended to highlight the situation of young persons who have been in care and are without any status. Some of these young persons were born in the UK and others have lived …
Local Government Ombudsman (LGO)
In a complaint made against the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s failure to assist a former looked after child to regularise her stay in the UK, the LGO made the following recommendations: To improve its practice in future the Council should within three months of the date of this report: A copy of the full LGO report …
PRCBC is in need of FREE office space once a month on a Saturday
We are in need of office space to run our monthly children citizenship advice surgery. Our main requirement is access to 2-3 interviewing rooms, printing, copying and internet facilities. If you are able to help, please contact Solange Valdez on 07593 103 706 or by e-mail: prcbc2013@aol.com Thank you
Monthly Saturday advice surgery on matters relating to children and young person’s registration as British
Our monthly Saturday slots are by appointment only. For more information and a referral form, please contact Solange Valdez by e-mail: prcbc2013@aol.com
Our response on BIS’s consultation on student loans
We are pleased to have submitted our response to the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) consultation on extending support to students with long residence in the UK who don’t have settled status. For a copy of our response: PRCBC%20response%20to%20consultation%208.1.16 https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/student-support-for-non-uk-nationals-who-have-lived-in-the-uk-for-a-long-time