Originally Posted by MellySA

I wonder whether @BritInParis could weigh in on something...

I came across a post this morning on a facebook forum where a section 4L parent was able to apply for a British passport for their under 18 child without having to do an MN1 application. They apparently skipped the MN1 step and just simply applied for their passport online.

Is this even possible?

Originally Posted by BritInParis

If the child was born after they received their registration certificate then yes, but if they were born before then they should complete a MN1 registration application. I have seen similar posts on Reddit though so I’m not sure if it’s the same case or HMPO are repeatedly making the same mistake.

Originally Posted by dampfray

Hi all - resurrecting this post as I received a similar email this morning from UKVI requesting an additional fee for my s4L application.

I’ll be going back to query this with UKVI as my understanding is that the ceremony fee of £80 is all that is required, but wanted to share it on this forum in case anyone else receives such an email.

—

I refer to your application for British citizenship.

The appropriate fee is £1431.00

The amount we have received is £80.00 Therefore we need a further £1,351.00 In order to continue with your client’s application.

This is because you would have qualified for registration under Section 9 of the British Nationality Act 1981 or naturalisation but for legislative unfairness, an act or omission of a public authority or exceptional circumstances, therefore you will still need to pay an application fee to register under this route, as well as a ceremony fee. This registration fee is £1351.00 and fees are payable in accordance with The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2018. Please see the payment slip attached for you to return to the address provided within the slip.

Originally Posted by BritInParis

Registration as a British citizen is not the same as consular birth registration. In your circumstances the answer should be ‘No’ to that question.

Originally Posted by dampfray

Hi BritInParis - re my posts above, the UKVI seems to be contesting this point in relation to my application - I was born in 1987 and am being told that my birth still required registration and so I am liable for the current UK citizenship registration fee. Is this correct? If not, what can I point my UKVI caseworker to?

Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by bbianco

Hey everybody!

I'm busy working on my Form ARD application, I've decided to try to apply for citizenship without the help of a lawyer as I don't think I've got that much $ to spare at the moment. I have a bunch of questions and was hoping maybe somebody would have some words to answer them and calm my anxiety about it all.

First off here at the family facts:

My maternal grandmother was born in Sept 22nd1926 in the UK (Manchester specifically)
My maternal grandmother married my grandfather (US Citizen) on June 22nd 1946 in Manchester England
They moved to the united states together shortly after the wedding (no exact date yet)
My mother was born in the United States on Sept 6th 1949
My grandmother was NOT a naturalized US citizen when my mother was born
At some point in the 1960s or 70s my grandmother naturalized
I was born June 30th 1981 in the United States

Thanks to glassybell, whose situation is incredibly similar to mine but with slight changes in dates, I was able to put together this claim



Now for my questions:

FORM ARD questions-
Should be NO on 1.4a and YES on 1.4b, it's my understanding this means I would only owe the ceremony fees.
Should I be writing the exact claim as posted above by hand in box 1.5?
It is my understanding that I may use two US Citizens for my Referees as I live in the US not the UK, is this correct?

Assorted application questions-
I have had a notary make a certified copy of my passport including all pages, will this be viewed as acceptable?
I have been unable to locate my Nana's passport or green card, but I did find a 1950's US census document through an ancestry site that shows my Nana and mother living in the same house and in the section "IS A US CITIZEN" it says no for my nana. Is this worth including?
Is it actually the case I simply print out this strange paper payment form and write my credit card information by hand? It looks like I would owe 130 GBP for ceremony only.

The documents I believe I need to send along with the application as originals and cannot send copies-
Maternal grandmothers birth certificate (on order from the GRO)
Maternal grandmothers marriage certificate, due to name change (on order from the GRO)
Mothers birth certificate
Mothers marriage certificate
My own birth certificate


My only remaining question that I'm hoping somebody may be able to help me with. What in the world should the cover letter say? Should it be an expression of WHY I am seeking UK citizenship? Should it include as well the legal argument that I wrote by hand in section 1.5? It's a bit unclear to me what exactly I should put in it or what it should even look like.

Once my documents arrive I planned on including it all and mailing it off. If anybody has any sage wisdom or answers to those questions, I am all ears. I'm a bundle of nerves about it all.

Thanks so much to Glassybell as well for replying to me in a different thread and directing me here. As well as posting their claim which I was able to modify pretty easily as our cases seem to be very similar.

This forum has been so wonderful by the way, so thanks to everybody here.

Originally Posted by BritInParis

Do you still need these questions answered or have you already submitted your application?

Originally Posted by dampfray

And I’ve now had a very quick reply from the UKVI caseworker:

“As mentioned in the guidance we would only ask for the ceremony fee for those who would have acquired that status automatically, however if any of the routes required registration or naturalisation you would need to pay a fee to register along with the ceremony fee. After 01/01/1983 the legislation changed and Section 5 (1) (b) which was an automatic acquisition if the birth was registered at a British consulate in a foreign country was no longer in place in the same way under the BNA 81. There however an transitional provision in place for those people born in a foreign country between 01/01/1983 and 01/01/1988 whereby the father was British by descent which was Section 9. Unlike Section 5 (1) (b) however Section 9 in the British Nationality Act 1981 was Right to registration



Therefore as you would not have obtained citizenship automatically, but via a registration route you are required to pay the registration fee if you wish to proceed with your application.”

Originally Posted by Theo808

Hi! Sorry to hear that they are asking for the full registration fee, when exactly did you apply? Some applicants under S9 in this same forum stated that the total fee for them was 80£ so your situation is kinda confusing

Originally Posted by dampfray

I applied in February this year. I had also seen several people in this and other forums who had appeared to pay only the ceremony fee.

Originally Posted by bbianco

I have not yet submitted as I'm still waiting on my nana's marriage certificate from the GRO. I believe that I am a YES on 1.4b, that it is OK for me to use two US citizens for my referees, that my notarized passport is OK, seems like the greencard paperwork may not be necessary if i have the certificates. I am including the payment for the ceremony only via the payment form and my CC number.

My main remaining questions I guess are:

Am I really supposed to be able to write that entire argument into box 1.5, and if so, maybe somebody could review this shorter version I've made and make some suggestions for how to make it even more brief?



Thanks for asking!


I also wanted to add that I recently spoke with somebody who is doing their citizenship by descent with sable, and is claiming they were able to do an electronic application. Has anybody else heard this? I was under the impression we had to do the paper route.

Originally Posted by bbianco

I have not yet submitted as I'm still waiting on my nana's marriage certificate from the GRO. I believe that I am a YES on 1.4b, that it is OK for me to use two US citizens for my referees, that my notarized passport is OK, seems like the greencard paperwork may not be necessary if i have the certificates. I am including the payment for the ceremony only via the payment form and my CC number.

Originally Posted by SparkyBrigham

Hey Everyone,

First time poster here. I was born in September 1988, and my sister was born in 1986 (both born in Egypt). Our mother was born born in Egypt in 1949 to a British mother, and she could only register as British in 2010. When section 4L was introduced my sister and I both applied together, her application succeeded and mine didn't. I applied using Form NR for reconsideration based on the fact that my sister was granted citizenship and I wasn't - all things being equal, this is unfair. It's been 6 months since I sent the application, and I have yet to hear anything, does anyone know if there's an email I could use to follow up? And is anyone in a similar boat? Any help would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by SparkyBrigham

Hey Everyone,

First time poster here. I was born in September 1988, and my sister was born in 1986 (both born in Egypt). Our mother was born born in Egypt in 1949 to a British mother, and she could only register as British in 2010. When section 4L was introduced my sister and I both applied together, her application succeeded and mine didn't. I applied using Form NR for reconsideration based on the fact that my sister was granted citizenship and I wasn't - all things being equal, this is unfair. It's been 6 months since I sent the application, and I have yet to hear anything, does anyone know if there's an email I could use to follow up? And is anyone in a similar boat? Any help would be appreciated.