TNAG-1125-FCO40-1400-British-Nationality-Act-1981-and-the-Dependent-Territories-1982 — Page 136

Circular 'O' 47/82

IMMEDIATE

GN/340/11

CONFIDENTIAL

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

2 March 1982

BRITISH NATIONALITY (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS

1.

The Home Secretary and the Treasury have now' agreed that the fees payable for naturalisation and registration under the British Nationality Acts, should be increased from 1 April 1982 and additionally that the fee should in future be payable when the application is made rather than, as at present, when the application is approved.

2.

The fee for the grant of naturalisation is to be increased from £150 to £200, that for registration under section 5A(2) from £150 to £200, and that for registration under other sections of the British Nationality Act from £50 to £70. The fee for the registration of a minor child is to be increased from £25 to £35 but only one fee of £35 will be charged for one or more minors of the same family provided the applications are received at the same time. There will continue to be no fee for the registration of a declaration of renunciation of citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies.

3. Under Regulation 8 of the British Nationality (Amendment) Regulations 1981 certain British protected persons and British subjects who have applied for naturalisation or registration after 30 October 1981 are eligible at present to pay a fee of £50 rather than £150. This is because they could have an entitlement to registration under section 4 of the British Nationality Act 1981 were that Act in force. It has been agreed that this fee be increased from £50 to £70 in line with the increases for other entitlements, and that the fee for British protected persons and others who cannot be regarded as eligible for the reduced fee should continue to be kept in line with that for naturalisation and increased to £200.

4. A final draft of the British Nationality (Amendment) Regulations 1982, which give affect to the increases, is attached, together with the new Schedule 19 (table of fees) to the principal Regulations.

5. Effective date. The new fees are only payable for the naturalisation or registration of persons whose applications you receive on or after 1 April. A person whose application reaches you before 1 April will pay the old fee even though he or she is naturalised or registered at a later date.

6. Fees leaflet. A copy of the Home Office's revised fees leaflet is also attached. This should be adapted to take account of the consular fees referred to below and reproduced locally as necessary and a copy issued with every naturalisation or registration application form, and with every Home Office leaflet about naturalisation or registration. In Dependent Territories and the Associated State of St Christopher and Nevis the leaflet will have to be modified, for instance, to quote the local fees in local currency. Elsewhere, posts may wish to add their address and a note of acceptable methods. of payment before making copies of the leaflet.

7.

Dependent Territories and the Associated State of St Christopher and Nevis are being asked to make provision locally to charge fees corresponding to those specified in the new Schedule 19.

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CONFIDENTIAL