Two groups of children can register as British citizens without paying the Home Office fee: children under 18 whose families cannot afford it (through a fee waiver), and children looked after by a local authority (who are automatically exempt). Every other child pays the standard registration fee of £1,000, which applies from 8 April 2026.
The Home Office guidance has been circulating widely this week, and many parents are asking whether their child qualifies. This guide explains both routes, the evidence you need, the order you must apply in, and the mistakes that most often lead to a refused waiver. If your child already has a right to British citizenship, cost should not be the reason they miss out on it.
How much does it cost to register a child as a British citizen?
The Home Office fee to register a child under 18 as a British citizen is £1,000, cut from £1,214 on 8 April 2026. If the child turns 18 before citizenship is granted, a £130 citizenship ceremony fee is also payable.
The fee has been the subject of years of litigation and campaigning, because it was set well above the Home Office’s processing cost. The April 2026 reduction was the first cut in a decade, but for many families the fee waiver remains the more important protection. The application fee is not refunded if the application is refused, so it is worth getting eligibility right before you apply. Our British citizenship by birth page explains the main child registration routes in more detail.
Category 1: children whose families cannot afford the fee
A child under 18 who is eligible for British citizenship can have the £1,000 fee waived if they, or their parent or guardian, cannot afford to pay it. The waiver is not automatic: you must apply for it separately and prove affordability.
According to the official GOV.UK child citizenship fee waiver guidance, you can apply if the child and their parent or guardian cannot pay the fee because:
- they do not have a place to live and cannot afford one
- they cannot afford essential living costs such as food and heating
- they do not have enough money to pay the fee after paying for accommodation and other essential living costs
- paying the fee would mean a child’s needs cannot be met
The child must also be eligible for citizenship in the first place. The most common situation is where a parent who treats the UK as home, after the child was born, became a British citizen or obtained indefinite leave to remain, settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, indefinite leave to enter, or permanent residence. See our guides to Settlement and ILR and British citizenship by descent if you are unsure which route applies.
What evidence do you need for a fee waiver?
You must show your household’s full financial picture: income, savings, essential outgoings and any support from others. Typical evidence includes:
- bank statements for all accounts
- payslips or other proof of earnings
- benefit award letters (for example Universal Credit or Housing Benefit)
- tenancy agreement or mortgage statements
- utility bills and other essential household costs
- details of anyone who helps with money, accommodation or living costs
The Home Office assesses the household, not just the parent, so gaps or unexplained deposits are a common reason for refusal.
Category 2: children looked after by a local authority
Children being looked after by a local authority pay no citizenship fee at all, and do not need to apply for a fee waiver. The exemption has applied since 16 June 2022 and also covers eligible children in care abroad.
Instead of a waiver, the applicant or their representative submits evidence that the child is in local authority care together with the citizenship application. GOV.UK is explicit that these children should not apply for a fee waiver; the application is simply processed free of charge.
This is an exemption based on care status, not an affordability test. That distinction matters: children in informal or kinship care arrangements (for example living with grandparents without a formal local authority arrangement) do not fall within the exemption and would normally need to use the affordability waiver instead.
For social workers and personal advisers, the key point is timing. A child’s right to register is often only discovered as they approach 18, when some of the stronger child routes are about to close. Citizenship checks are best built into care planning early.
How to apply for a child citizenship fee waiver: step by step
If you apply for the waiver online, you must wait for the Home Office decision before submitting the citizenship application. If you apply on paper, both forms are sent together.
- Confirm eligibility for citizenship. Check which registration route applies (for example Form MN1 or Form T) before thinking about the fee.
- Choose online or paper. An online waiver must be followed by an online citizenship application; a paper waiver must be submitted with a paper citizenship application. Applicants in Guernsey or Jersey must apply by post.
- Complete the waiver request. A parent or legal guardian can apply on the child’s behalf and, online, can include other children in the same request. On paper, each child needs a separate form.
- Upload or enclose the financial evidence. There is no charge for requesting a fee waiver.
- Receive the decision. If successful, you receive a personalised code by email or letter to include in the citizenship application.
- Submit the citizenship application using that code, with no fee payable.
The official routes are the Home Office online fee waiver request and the caseworker guidance on citizenship fee waivers for under-18s.
What happens if my child turns 18 while waiting?
If a child turns 18 before the fee waiver decision is made, they can still apply for citizenship as a child and keep the fee waiver if they qualify. This is one of the most important protections in the guidance, because waiver decisions can take several weeks.
However, if the child is 18 or over when citizenship is granted, the £130 ceremony fee may still apply. Fee waivers are not available to adults applying in their own right, so families with a child approaching 18 should act early.
Common mistakes that lead to refused waivers
- Applying for the waiver when the child is in local authority care. These children are exempt; they should apply for citizenship directly with evidence of care.
- Submitting the citizenship application before the online waiver decision. The decision code must be in hand first.
- Mixing online and paper routes. The waiver and the citizenship application must use the same channel.
- Incomplete financial evidence. Missing bank statements or unexplained income are the most common reasons for refusal. If a waiver is refused for insufficient evidence, a fresh request can be made.
- Leaving it too late. Some routes, such as registration under section 1(4) for children born in the UK who lived here for their first ten years, remain open into adulthood, but others close at 18.
Other help if you cannot pay
If your household does not meet the waiver test but still struggles with the fee, the Citizenship Payment Plan, run by EdAid, offers interest-free instalment plans for parents and guardians. Separated children (those without a parent or guardian) can also access legal aid for immigration and citizenship cases, reinstated since 25 October 2019.
How Adam Bernard Solicitors can help
Our immigration solicitors help parents, guardians and local authorities secure British citizenship for children, including:
- confirming which child-based application route applies
- preparing fee waiver requests with a complete evidence bundle
- handling registration for looked-after children on behalf of local authorities
- challenging refusals, including through judicial review
For adults who are no longer eligible for the child routes, see our naturalisation as a British citizen service.
Our SRA-regulated solicitors have helped 15,000+ clients over 15 years, from offices in High Holborn and Upton Park. Book a free consultation by video (Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype) or call 0207 100 2525, available 24/7.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
