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!

i do wonder if people are aware just how much it would cost society if carers decided to give up caring?

are you suggesting that some british citizens (leonie's dds, for example) are not the equal to others? why shouldn't they be here, it's there country too after all.

It doesn't matter whether my husband or LeonieDelt or whoever is working. They are here because they are married to british citizens who wish to live in the UK.

Who are you to decide whether or not they are entitled to a family life?

We opened our doors to the poorest countries of Europe, taken in their drunks and criminals...and yet those of us who dared to legally marry non-EU citizens have to prove the worth of our spouses for the right to live as a family???

And the reason I asked about the ages was, below school age, you either look after them or pay for childcare anyway. So that wouldn't actually be saving anyone any money.

You mean you get paid to look after your own children.

B**dy heck tell me thats not true, I am stunned.

Oh Chibi. How comical that despite your criticism if my ability to read and understand, you still cannot grasp how to use capital letters.

People in glass houses.....

remainsoftheday
Leonie's children are residents of the UK and are therefore entitled to as much care from the NHS as they need. You have no right to start assessing whether volunteering equates to the care they need. It's not how the NHS works. She and her children are not getting anything they're not fully entitled to.

i am so so so glad to be a citizen, because i never have to justify my existence, use of the nhs, or the extent to which i contribute to society ever again

and thank your lucky starts chibi that you'll never have to deal with the Border Agency

oh remainsoftheday, if only you had a valid point to make, instead of the rhetorical equivalent of parpyparpparpparp

still, i guess we are united in citizenship, eh?

Elaine. Never said they shouldn't use it. I said volunteering does not equal a monetary contrubtion.

You don't see people volunteering getting pension credits either. It is not the same as actually having a job.

i was v happy the day i recieved citizenship, it is delightful to not have border agents treat you like you are the scum of the earth

No. Chibi. We are united in legality.

Remains And why do you require a monetary contribution from non-citizens that you don't require from citizens?

I thought carers allowance was when you helped to look after old people.

I have since googled this and I am astonished that people take money to look after their own children.

I would look after my own children whatever was wrong with them and to gain financially to me is just wrong....... so so wrong.

I am bowing out of this discussion now for fear of saying something I may regret later.

But a quick question how much would your health insurance be in the states per month and would you get a monthly figure to look after your children there?

oh are you not a uk citizen then, remainsoftheday? how unfortunate for you. exactly what is your contribution to this country - i really want to know why i ought to be bankrolling your possible fecklessness with my hard earned taxes

I expect a monetary contribution from anyone who comes from another country and wants access to facilities that they have not had any hand in building.

Passport applications cost money, the taxpayer shouldn't have to fund that. Therefore I expect the immigrant to entirely self fund that.

Chibi. I am a UK citizen. But there is more to being British than a passport. Gaining a passport is a legality, nothing more, nothing less.

are people aware that carer's allowance is for people caring for quite significantly disbled children, to the point where it would be more or less impossible to use childcare and thterefore work?

that carer's allowance is a pretty meagre compensation for a total loss of income that is the result of caring for such a high needs child?

What on earth are you talking about remainsoftheday? What facilities is my husband accessing that he has not had any hand in building exactly?

We have paid to the border agency about £2500 over the last 3 years, over and above whatever processing costs there were. I fully accept we should pay our way, I just don't like being screwed for money because the govt can. That's unfair.