Children born in the UK whose parents later settle here have a right under the British Nationality Act 1981 to be registered as British nationals.

It costs the UK Home Office £372 to process these applications. But the application fee is £1,012.
On 18 February 2021 the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s ruling that the Home Secretary is required to reconsider the fee, taking into account the best interests of children.

This issue is particularly relevant for EU national children who were born in the UK before their parents were granted Settled Status. We are concerned that the high fee has been putting families off claiming this right for their children and hope that a more appropriate fee will be announced soon.

These articles are from the February 2021 issue of Employment and Immigration Law Update, our monthly newsletter for HR professionals. To download the latest issue, please visit the newsletter section of our website. For further information please contact a member of Birketts’ Immigration Team.