Born in the UK?

1. You were born in the UK and after your birth one or both of your parents becomes a British citizen or gets indefinite leave to remain.
   
   You may be able to register as a British citizen, but you must apply before you turn 18.
   
2. You were born in the UK and have lived here for the first 10 years of your life.
   
   You must be able to show that you have lived in the UK for 10 years without any gaps. Your lawyer will be able to go through the details of this with you. If you meet this rule, you can apply to become a British citizen even after you turn 18.

Important

The Home Office has the ability to register any child or young person as a British citizen as they have a wide discretion. This means that they have the freedom to register a child or a young person as a British citizen even if that child or young person does not fit into the categories established above.

If you are below the age of 18 and want to register to become a British citizen, you must pay a fee of £1,012. If you are above the age of 18 and want to register to become a British citizen, you must pay a fee of £1,206.

The application fee normally changes every year, usually in April. In the past few years the fee has always increased. For those under the age of 18, there was a successful legal case challenging the size of the fee because it is set too high, does not take into account a child’s best interests and a child should be able to apply to have the fee waived. At the time of writing the Government has yet to implement the outcome of this case. You should always check what the current fee is before you apply.

If you need help with this type of application and cannot afford to pay for a lawyer, you can refer the case to Coram Children's Legal Centre.

You may also contact the Project for the Registration of Children as British Citizens through their website or via email: [email protected].