British Citizenship fees - why in the name of sanity.....

[Lottapianos]

.... do I have to pay EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDS to have a form processed?

Sorry for shouting but it drives me around the bend. I'm happy to pay a fee but Christ on a bendy bus! They say it's to cover the administration costs and the cost of the citizenship ceremony you get invited to if/when your application gets approved. I can only imagine it must be an Elton-John-style White Tie and Diamonds Ball if that's how much they are charging!

Anyone shed light on why it's so bloody expensive? Is there a good reason or are they just taking the you-know-what? Thanks!

Erm ... I didn't write the OP, iamme. So you are talking nonsense again, aren't you? My own first post on this thread - as you'd know if you'd looked at it - refers to my DH.

sorry my mistake i meant oh

so now I mean dh.

I'm not a UK citizen, and I have only skimmed the thread as these sort of things always bring out comments which I've no interest in reading. (full disclosure: I'm originally from the US, and I don't like those sort of comments from Americans with regard to immigrants, so I'm not judging based on anyone's personal citizenship)

I would, however, like to say that charging umpteen hundred/thousand pounds for citizenship isn't keeping anyone from claiming benefits and/or whatever nefarious intents you might be afraid of them achieving. Once an immigrant has managed to obtain a long term residency visa, they are able to claim any benefits a UK citizen might be able to claim.

It is only those of us who have shown an interest in making our allegiance to the country official who have to make this huge monetary investment. We get nothing out of it other than a pretty passport, because by the time we're eligible to apply for citizenship, we've long had long term residency status and have been living in our palatial home for our 12 kids paid for by your tax money and have our cat litter boxes lined with plasma TVs, etc.

YANBU. The citizenship fee is deliberately overpriced because the UKBA reckons they can get away with it. They charge below cost for other categories and recoup their money on the citizenship fees. IN their words:

When setting fee levels, we work within strict financial limits agreed with HM Treasury and the UK Parliament. We balance a number of complex factors, including:

the cost of processing applications; the importance of attracting certain groups of migrants to the UK; and the value of a successful application to the migrant. We have made carefully considered decisions to set some fees at or below the cost of delivery and other fees (such as the application fee for British nationality) above the cost of delivery, to reflect the value of the product.

(Plasma TV in the litterboxs? Boy, my cats are really missing out compared to some! )

I think I like the citizenship test in principle, as long as it's not too difficult to book one (mine was extremely difficult to book). I suppose that the fee level shows that you've probably got the means to probably not be a burden on the state, unless it's funded out of benefits, of course.

Oh FFS remainsoftheday if only it stopped at £830. Anyone coming over due to marriage forks out about £2500 in 3 years. Why should we pay so much money over and above actual costs?We both pay tax.

And why should we pay just to prove we can?! Have a minimum amount in the bank then. I hate this blase, well, if you can't pay, you can't stay attitude. How many families in the UK would struggle to raise £2500 in extra costs - especially when new to the country? I suspect the majority wouldn't want to pay an £2500 in tax just to prove that they can.

ragged the fee is not to prove you can support yourself. It's easy money for the government because no-one cares if you screw immigrants. Daily mail loves it.

I know ragged! And we don't even have cats!

catonthemat

living and working in the UK is not a right which is auctioned off to the highest bidder. there are certain criteria and if you fit them, you should be allowed to stay. why should my dh have to pay through the nose for the right to live with his wife and children?

And, btw, all this is new. 10 years ago there was no charge at all.

He has to pay for the right because he was not born here.

Both girls have autism so you thought ah England they will care for us .....for free.

i became a citizen in 2008, can't remember how much it cost (ilr/ilr put into new passport/citizenship test/citizenship application), i blocked it out ha ha

the thing that took the biggest getting used to was the general assumption that, as an immigrant, at best i was no major drain on the country, at worst, a parasite intent on destroying everything brits held dear. when i wasn't eating swans, obv.

meh. i am happy to be a citizen because i no longer have to justify my existence, and i am equal to and as good as any other citizen, and neither the government nor anyone else can demand any more from me than they would from anyone else.

That is exactly why we need fees Leonie.

Because the tax payer cannot be expected to fund someone who has no intention of contributing to our society. If you want to enjoy the benefit of this country, you should expect to contribute something.

If you are not working FFS the very least we might ask it that we actually can get back the cost of the application!

You just said they are not old enough for school?

well, i saw the key words reciprocal agreement, social security contibutions, british husband and raising british children

how funny that remainsoftheday couldn't. it is very sad when people's literacy levels leave them unable to access the meaning of simple sentences.

Either we're not contributing to society, or we're taking British jobs. Can't win.

Says the person who clearly doesn't understand the need for a capital letter after a full stop

Being a carer is not contirbuting to society.

You came here

1. your dh

and

1. nhs

If you did not get paid and pay tax then NO it does not.

I don't think volunteering in a playgroup really equates to a lifelong use of the NHS. I'm sorry, I just don't.

To reduce the application fees I firmly believe that there would need to be huge, economic contributions.

While volunteering in a playgroup is great, it doesn't actually make back the money that the country is spending.