The Real Cost of British Citizenship

[@ebenito77]

I have expended over £128,000 in costs to the Home Office for application fees, NHS surcharges, and solicitors fees for a family of 4 over the period of 14 years without a British Passport yet. I still have a few more years to obtain my citizenship with a further probable cost of £29,250 for two applicants as two of my children now have citizenship. I don't want to write about my pain on this platform but it feels like a money-making machine for the government against immigrants. Congratulations!

[@joeheller7581]

100%

[@Sthmohtwenty]

And we're u get all that money from UK welfare

[@rippawallet]

Of course it is. How did you expect anything different?? I'm confused what you expected from the UK..

[@ebenito77]

@@Sthmohtwenty I wish!

[@ebenito77]

@Lee Davies ​I do not expect you to understand the situation nor looking for your sympathy or sarcasm. The point is everyone has a story and it's different just as our faces differ- There is no need to play hardball here- No one is playing a victim. Our histories, and experiences in life are just different and it could be difficult for some to comprehend. In my opinion, it would be wrong to have addressed anyone as you did @Kush Blazer

[@TheOrionOracle]

It's not fair to always get the calculators out! It is genuinely wise to be financially prudent especially in an expensive land like the UK. However, the true blessings are the opportunities that you have access to here and the fairly strong respect for law across all the UK regions.

[@albertkwan4261]

Numbers don’t lie.

[@e.u7778]

Hi Poppy thanks for sharing this, yes coming on a spouse visa does not give you an automatic pass to UK citizenship however, you do have a very high probability rate that you will eventually become one (you and hubby still together at the end of the required tenure) but please, spare a thought for international students who come to the UK to study and eventually decide to settle down to build a life. The £11k+ you spent over a 5yr period is easily surpassed x 2 in a year to maintain your visa....an international student studying for a 1yr Masters program can easily spend over £30k+ to achieve the same result as you. Congratulations my dear and wishing you all the best.

[@theyjustwantyourmoney4539]

Yours was straight forward, There's what is called the 10 year rule where if you had breached immigration rules, you will have to fulfil 10 years with your indefinite leave before you are eligible to apply for citizenship, many people have tried to apply before their time and lost all the money, it is not refundable.

[@Faz1020]

When applying for ILR you do not pay IHS as you only pay it before you enter the UK and pay it again when you extend following 2.5 years but not when applying for ILR. Just went through this process and we were lucky to get a response within 2.5 months. Awesome service from Home Office despite the pressure they’re under. Get your documents right first time and you’ll have no issues.

[@wendyf5595]

I wonder why she had to pay for IHS again to get her ILR, when in the Home Office website it says we don't need to pay for this when we apply for ILR 🤔 I'll apply for ILR in 2024 hopefully the rules don't change. Thanks for the information.

[@dvmusicvideochannel]

Hi Poppy, I would say I can share your experience also. My wife which is from the Philippines came to UK in 2010 with a fiancé visa which was much quicker for us to apply and luckily she did not have to take the English test in her country and pay for the NHS charge but, in all we spent a bit more because we got married in the UK. Wish you Good luck with the British Citizenship application and your future in the UK 😉👍

[@thebriz1868]

I can’t believe how much it costs and all the steps it takes to acquire UK citizenship. I’m a Brit and have just acquired Belgian citizenship through their naturalisation process after living in Belgium for 5 years. It only cost me €200, so around £170. For the UK to charge that much seems simply like a tax on those who want to commit to the country. Which seems wrong. But anyway, congratulations!

[@PoppyDontree]

Oh wow what a contrast! Congratulations to you too on your Belgian citizenship 😊

[@rosahacketts1668]

I think it's to deter people from flocking in.

[@rumfletiltskin20]

It cost me £250, mind you that was in 2003.

[@drs7416]

It all depends on your frist nationality. It cost me around £1500 , last year. To be honest most of that cost was the solicitor's cost as I was to lazy to sort out my paperwork.

[@UstashaMe84]

So what? I was born there and had to pay services to prove the fact I was and gain a passport and citizenship. It’s not an open door pal.

[@myraloomer]

With regards to the final citizenship application, depending on your circumstances, you may have to make an appointment with UKVCAS which can run from free to £200+ depending on time, location, and services provided at the appointment (I’ve just been through the process).

[@Alexandra-bq1so]

Wow, you make me realised how blessed I am being part of Europe. I paid only 1300 ish, for my test , ceremony etc. The process was easier. I never had to take visa.

[@Thistle780]

It has been a difficult year for my family of four. At least we got the ILR and I am preparing to get naturalisation next months. I am sure it will be all worth it

[@silveriver9]

If you were wise and based on the circumstances, you would've applied for an Irish passport which has full EU membership benefits and the same rights in Britain as if you were a British citizen, thanks to the CTA agreement (even post brexit). Irish Passport has the best of both worlds.

[@roastedbeanz149]

Or just be born Irish like.

[@fasthracing]

@@roastedbeanz149 Not needed nowadays.

[@monsieurbakare2498]

How can one get an Irish passport?

[@08aoc]

She doesn't live in Ireland so she wouldn't be able to apply LOL

[@Londoncab]

You make some good points, however if you have problems abroad, get arrested etc, often Ireland doesn’t even have a embassy, just a small consulate in a shared office. In efffect Ireland dozens have much clout. Often you find people who get in to serious problems with an Irish passport scrabbling to get a UK passport somehow .

[@aishajohnson2076]

£20,000 is an under estimate if you pay for immigration lawyers for all your processes and you pay for same day service in all your processes (Piority Services) plus all appointments payment.

[@PoppyDontree]

Yep agreed, lawyers are pretty pricey. I do feel fortunate that I'm able to do this whole thing myself

[@hussnainzulafqar7146]

There is no IHS fee in Indefinite leave to remain.

[@ourworldtv7433]

I hold a indefinite leave to remain visa, and costed me nothing, not even a single penny. The reason behind that is I suffered domestic violence. They help me apply and receive all this in about three months.

[@moiraine123]

Same

[@chinsvlogs7887]

This is true

[@RetroHoosk]

The Home Office is absolutely fleecing immigrants. As a UK/Canadian citizen who's both gone through Canadian immigration and now US immigration - I wouldn't want to subject my worst enemy to the nightmare that is the UK system. Here's the breakdown of my immigration costs...though I haven't done the Removal of Conditions or US Citizenship yet. Canada (Express Entry - FSWP) Credential Assessment: $172 IELTS: £170 Immigration Medical Exam: £330 UK Police Certificate: £55 PR Application Fee: £560 Right of PR Fee: £340 Citizenship: £415 Total: £2,042 USA (Spousal CR-1) Form I-130: £462 DS-260: £281 UK Police Certificate: £55 Canadian Police Certificate: £46 Affidavit of Support: £103 Immigration Medical Exam: £230 Immigrant Fee: £220 Removal of Conditions: £587 Citizenship: £627 Total: £2,611 The total costs for both Canadian and US immigration journeys don't even exceed the cost for the UK leave to remain *alone* which comes to £3,122!

[@SpitfireMLG]

I’m sorry but a U.S. spousal visa is hardly a comparison. Easiest visa in the world and the most prioritised in the US. It’s not even a visa it’s a green card straight away…

[@freddiebenz6632]

Thanks for that, really insightful. I didnt get the option of the fast track when doing the renewal. Will look out for that when doing the indefinite leave and naturalization.

[@josephharrison1432]

Wow, I am a British Citizen by birthright and both parents as British Citizens. It doesn't surprise me that now the UK Home Office policies English Tests but the overall cost is absolute insanity! I have lived otherwise in the USA and China and have wanted to stay on the right side of the law, keeping that visa valid is always the right thing to do. Hope you become a British Citizen soon!

[@whalesbaba12]

Welldone & great video. Just to also add a little knowledge - the English test is not a requirement if you already possess a degree from a Uk accredited institution. As there are many routes, applicants should find out the most applicable routes that fits their situations & that would have a direct impact on the costs. Spousal route as you’ve mentioned is Just one of many. Great stuff & welldone.

[@rad8825]

I'm EU national so I had the indefinite leave to remain for free. So far I had to pay about £250 for the language and life in UK tests. The naturalisation application is £1330 like you stated. I then had to pay further £132 for an appointment to check my documents. I'm not so optimistic about this being the end of my costs though.

[@johnp5515]

Sir sell your passport to me I'm from Pakistan, I come UK sell fried chicken

[@DreySantesson]

How much did you end up paying at the end as an EU national ?

[@gaspode505]

Been in country 14 years, when I applied for naturalization home office refused as I had old type of resident card. Pre 2014. Lost Total 3.5k. Being EU citizen, gave up for now. But now see people been shafted in worse way

[@mickclarke6634]

yep, prostitute nation.

[@michaeltheobald2385]

Just gone through this. Thought I'd finish paying after I got my indefinitely leave to remain. But if I want the British passport, it is another £2000 :(

[@PoppyDontree]

On the bright side, you're nearly there 😍

[@paulsz6194]

For that price, I hope it entitles you a lifetime of Passports!

[@stinga_]

It's just the tax on foreigners no one talks about. I'm here paying tax for 20 years and still paying visa fees. I've applied for indefinite in 2020 and because I got fined in court they told me to reapply in this year. I paid 2100 plus 800 to fast track. Because they refused it they gave me 24 months visa and I ended up paying 800 pounds nhs. If they don't give it to me this year I'll take every money I got and build a business elsewhere . Not going to pay tax to benefit your economy to get rejected while some of the bums who born here not contributing nothing.

[@TheUltimatePoofter]

@@stinga_ At the end of the day no one asked you to move to the UK.

[@gamma_dablam]

@@TheUltimatePoofter that's not necessarily true

[@treefrog1018]

I sadly don't qualify for Ancestry citizenship in the UK so I crunched the numbers of citizenship via work/student visa (~£15,000 over the course of 10 years) and partnership visa (~£12,000 over the course of 5 years). Wow.

[@pesser]

IRL is now £2404 & British citizenship is £1330 NHS fee is not applicable to IRL

[@neilmoyes408]

A German citizenship costs me roughly €220 for processing fees, and about €500 for a german test and citizens test. I think the passport and ID card were about €100. I forget the exact amount. I was not paying for visas before as a EU citizen or, if there was a fee, it was minimal. But, my process continues as my 10 year old daughter who still has a British passport, needs a visa. She was born in Germany to a Spanish Mother so I am sure there is a way around it. Travel has suddenly become more difficult compared to before. Anyhow, the costs in the UK seems excessive. But like you, the process was fun for me.

[@mickclarke6634]

FUN???? you must be joking.

[@matthewsmith908]

Yea, just get her a Spanish passport, she would have eu rights to live in Germany

[@pylaterreur]

I would argue that having to use 3 genders seemingly randomly assigned to names is already a too big of a cost :p

[@lukewalker3]

i want to get a A German citizenship so bad i really want too there this girl whos in germany but we will have to see if it works out with but anyways i love germany i wnat to move there so bad it just seems like its so hard and to talk german as well i dont know if i could ever do that ngl its so hard

[@ACRLZ]

@@lukewalker3 You can dip your toes in it by enrolling in classes at your local uni. Even if you’re not a student, they often offer evening classes for a reasonable price. It’s not that scary when you’re surrounded by others who are as new to it as you are!

[@bloodofapharohking944]

I been this country for 21 years I don’t no how to speak no other languages apart from English and I still had to pay 150 pounds for a English test that’s a criminal act

[@Bruno-yi3wv]

Thank u for all information, it’s very necessary and useful

[@PoppyDontree]

Most welcome 😊

[@yaniquewilson8362]

Finally somebody said this 😍am from Jamaica and been wondering about this process.

[@verykeen2please]

Marrying a UK national, does not even give you any entry rights, most of us struggle to do the life in the UK test Having a UK passport, makes international travel a lot less hassle too

[@Poliss95]

I'd say that most UK born people would struggle with the test. I remember looking at some of the tests and some of the answers from the government were wrong. Example: 'How often are general elections held in the UK? Every 3 years Every 4 years Every 5 years Every 10 years' The correct answer is 'None of the Above'. The minimum time between general elections is 25 days and the maximum time is 5 years. The Fixed Term Parliament Act is irrelevant. Another question: 'Scotland has its own banknotes, which are valid everywhere in the UK. True or False?' The answer given was 'True' which is wrong. Scottish banknotes are not legal tender anywhere in the UK. Not even in Scotland. So if even the UK government can't get the answers right, what hope is there for someone taking the test?

[@xjeaanwf3761]

@@Poliss95 Wait a minute. If Scottish bank notes aren´t legal in Scotland, whats the point pf having them?

[@RoseAngella]

@@Poliss95 Recently worked in retail and I can confirm Scottish notes ARE accepted as legal tender.

[@mickclarke6634]

@@Poliss95 I agree, it's complete BS. Just another hoop to jump through to extract as much money from people as possible, most of the questions are out of date and to be honest it's all irrelevant. What kind of people think up this rubbish? what kind of people think up these taxes for our politicians to waste on yet more restrictions or hair brained idea's

[@Poliss95]

@@RoseAngella You have been misinformed. From the Bank of England website. Scottish notes aren't legal tender in England or Scotland. You might have heard someone in a shop say: "But it's legal tender!" Most people think it means the shop has to accept the payment form. But that's not the case. A shop owner can what payment they accept. If you want to pay for a pack of gum with a £50.00 note, it's perfectly legal to turn you down. If your local corner shop decided to only accept payment in Pokémon cards that would be in their rights too. Legal tender has a narrow technical meaning which has no use in everyday life. It means that if you offer to fully pay off a debt to someone in legal tender, they can't sue you for failing to repay. What's classed as legal tender varies throughout the UK. In England and Wales, it's Royal Mint coins and Bank of England Notes. In Scotland and Northern Ireland it's only Royal Mint coins and not banknotes.

[@kculshaw9504]

Why did you have to pay for IHS if you applied for ILR? Per some readings i made, you will only be required to pay the IHS if you are only granted limited leave?

[@ademolaconde7505]

No IHS for ILR. You need to apply for a refund.

[@Rella28]

I have no idea why KZbin recommended this to me. But it’s interesting to see how much people pay to become a citizen in the UK. I’ve got a ton of friends and family who had to go through the immigration process. They said it was expensive but I didn’t realise how expensive. Because they didn’t break down every single costs. But wow. my family is from Jamaica and I have often heard the term indefinite leave to remain

[@domaind196]

the cost of uk citizenship depends on the route and process you follow so it can be as expensive as £50000, including the delays and lawyers and re-applications if denied for stupid reasons just based on your race.

[@jamesoumar]

What ????? £50000????

[@oldblueshirtguy]

@@jamesoumar £75000 in our case over a period of 9 years so far and still not and far from resolved and still thousands more to pay (and I was born and lived all my life in Britain). The "Home Office" exists solely as the commercial extortion racket arm of the racist Conservative party. Once you've tried to do things correctly and legally (which should be a mere formality costing £100 at most but always costs a minimum of over 100x that much), you realise how much smarter the people that enter "illegally" are.

[@RolandRamirezTV]

Very helpful information. My much needed details. Thanks for sharing. Now subscribed as well.

[@helderalmeida3417]

That's the old passport on thumbnail. The new one is a dark blue colour.

[@snoxa]

Nice😀but i think u did a mistake of including IHS fee for Indefinite Leave to remain.there is no IHS fee for indefinite Leave to Remain.Congratulations😀

[@PoppyDontree]

Yeh I could be wrong, really thought I did pay for it. Thank you!

[@mazypatton7119]

I thought that. Makes me nervous when she paid grand for ILR. Bloody hell!

[@Shinobeii13]

Visa costs 2022. Spouse Visa for example £1'500 approx Skilled worker £625 IHS for Spouse £1'300 approx. These fees are from outside UK and are for initial visa. FLR or further leave to remain if already in Country means Visa fee can be reduced to £1'048. Skilled workers in NHS or Care workers for example can claim a refund of the IHS every 6 months by showing payslips (can be done online) and effectively the are refunded the WHOLE of the IHS fee over the course of their visa.

[@jasonfrempong1667]

I had to wait 10yrs before I could get citizenship. So double your costs lol plus the costs of passport renewal and other visas needed when you travel in holiday with the family and if you have kids as well, you can basically double that cost per child. Even if it's spread over time that crazy expensive

[@Sthmohtwenty]

Same here

[@fasthracing]

Health care is NOT free in the UK. We pay for it through general taxation and through National insurance contributions. Being British from birth I calculate that I have paid circa £150,000 for this alone, thus far in my life.

[@PoppyDontree]

Geez, it's interesting how much you've paid. Is the £150k your payment towards NI overall or is that specifically the portion going into the NHS?

[@fasthracing]

@@PoppyDontree Proportion of income tax and national insurance payments I have made that have gone to the NHS over my working life.

[@judgementalTX]

@@fasthracing . So that's for everything then. Not just the NHS.

[@guls1977]

U didn’t add 90 pound for applying passport 😂

[@bharatirai527]

Oh dear 90 ?? I was thinking 50 😆 🤣

[@jeabjeab2457]

I don’t think you have to pay for IHS when you apply for ILR

[@garygarrison4336]

I don't know how it works in the UK but here in the US if a woman of foreign nationality enters the United States pregnant and she gives birth that child automatically becomes a United States citizen.

[@Black-lioness]

I had the same experience. It is draining journey

[@brandys.2350]

Loved this video. I'm from the US and living in the UK. Just renewed FLR-M. Now to save up for 2.5 years for the ILR fees! It's horrid and so stressful.

[@PoppyDontree]

So stressful isn't it but you're half way there! 🥰

[@Mk-uu6nj]

Was very helpful. Thank u poppy. Much respect ❤️

[@PoppyDontree]

Glad it was helpful!☺

[@raibeart1955]

I wish you every happiness. All the best to you and yours.Rab

[@ianemery2925]

Actually, unless they have suddenly developed a feeling of SHAME; there will be a compulsory fee for the Citizenship award ceremony. When my Wife did it around 5 years ago, it was £89 - no pay, no ceremony - NO CITIZENSHIP!!! We just scraped in under the rope before the current changes took place, her citizenship application appointment was less than 24 hours before the (unannounced) change to the rules, so she only had to wait 2 years to apply for citizenship. I estimated the total cost at around £10,000, including £1,000 to an immigration service, as she had a tourist visa refusal against her, and the cost of the language courses in China and the UK, for the A1 and B2 awards. We had a lot of issues just getting the initial visa for her to come to the UK, the UK consulate in Guangzhou messed us around for more than 3 MONTHS; insisting we come in multiple times, for interviews where they would ask a single question, then sending us away again; 16 hours travel time each way, as we were living in a different province. Ten days before my extended visa ran out, they called again, and said she needed to attend the Embassy the following day (this was late afternoon); we scrambled to get there for the 9AM appointment, where they kept us waiting for two hours, then gave her a letter saying her visa interview was in 2 days time. The actual interview was ..... interesting. They didnt go over ANY of the usual questions, just gave her chapter and verse about my previous Chinese girlfriend (who she already knew about), in an attempt to break us up. When that failed, they handed over her passport with the visa inside, and shoo'ed us out of the building. Leaving four days to book flights, pack her stuff and say our goodbyes.

[@Serena_9]

It most ridiculous part is that after you paid IHS to secure health care in the UK. You are still paying for NI as well.

[@PoppyDontree]

Yep tell me about it.

[@ahamedmashoor872]

It’s interesting and I am glad you brought out this Video !

[@joodebritannia6345]

for Tier 2 visa 5 years before ILR application then another 1 year for Bri'ish citizenship. Since I'm working in healthcare sector, we didn't pay for our IHS and other fees, all paid by the employer. Our IELTS is also valid or waived

[@km7101]

Does anyone know why some countries don't allow immigrants to gain citizenship? thinking about moving from England but don't like the idea of working long time abroad with my wife and kids with no potential of gaining citizenship!

[@isaanman5399]

I am long time married to a Thai & because my work takes me overseas I could never sponsor my wife as she could only stay in the UK on a settlement visa if I was there with her. So the last 26 years I been Thailand based. Thailand only give out 100 Citizenships a year so it’s next to impossible to get one. As a foreigner I can’t own land here. I can use the Government Universal health system but I have to pay. I can’t work unless I get a work permit & there are all types of regulations for that & they are extremely hard to get. I can’t own more than 49% of a Thai company. We have to show we have 400,000 (around £10,000) Thai Baht in a Thai bank to get & extend is we are on a marriage visa & double that if we are on a retirement visa. We have to extend these visas every year & we have to report to immigration every 90 days & if we are late the minimum is a fine & we could be deported. If we are on a marriage visa & divorce we lose the marriage visa. I do which the UK was more strict on immigration like Thailand. I always paid my UK National Insurance contributions & have over 35 years of paying in credits & so will be entitled to a full state pension next year but as the UK only pays it fully indexed to those in EEA Countries & some other Countries such as Turkey & the Philippines mine will be paid frozen & I will never receive any yearly increases. Over 500,000 UK Citizens who worked & paid in their NI contributions get their state pensions frozen & 95% of them live in British Commonwealth Countries. So if you are Thai Poppy & work in the UK & pay in your NI contributions to qualify for a state pension & you then decide to retire back to Thailand yours & your husband’s if he comes with you state pension will be frozen & you will never receive any yearly increase. However if you had been a Filipino who did the exact same & you retired back to the Philippines with your husband then both yours & your husband’s State pension would be fully indexed & you would both receive all yearly increases the same as if you stayed in the UK.

[@chrisredbarhuahin717]

I agree with you if a Thais come to the uk if you pay the doors open if a uk person goes Thailand they can do a thing. It should fair for both sides.

[@isaanman5399]

@@chrisredbarhuahin717 If you came into the UK legal & met all the requirements I don’t mind you getting all you get. There is only one thing I don’t agree with & that is dual Citizenship. If any Foreigner gets British Citizenship then they should only get it if they give up any others they have. This could happen. Thailand didn’t allow dual Citizenships before 1992 & could bring it back. There is a lot going on in the USA now about stopping dual Citizenship & it could happen in the UK. If you wanted to keep your Thai Citizenship OK they could let you stay on a yearly visa that you can extend every year. As for those like me living in Thailand I am OK with it except a few things. I wouldn’t want Foreigners to be able to own land because imagine what would happen to prices. My house I got a Usufruct till I die which means I get to stay in the house till I die & I can even rent it out & keep the rent the rent money. The 90 day reporting is a pain but no big deal. The big problem that is worrying for most of us is they keep talking about changing the visa rules & saying about health insurance. They already made health insurance a requirement on the Retirement O-A visa & now increased the minimum cover from 400,000 THB to 3 Million. Thing is if we got any pre-conditions they don’t cover them on the health insurance & once you are over 70 it is very hard to get health insurance. It would be nice if Thailand let those of us already here carry on with the old system & just die out & apply new rules to those applying for new visas. There are a lot of married Farangs here who got children & Grand children who been here 20+ & 30+ years & are worried that if they impose the health insurance they won’t be able to get it or afford it & have to leave & they got nothing to go back to in their home Countries. Anyway where do you from in Thailand? My wife is from Surin & I was based in Buriram for 3 years when not going away to work. The last 23 years I been in Udon Thani. I am 65 yo & just want to live the rest of my life out in Isaan.

[@AddiRockART]

My friends who went through the program had to get into the UK as students, then get various work visas, all the IHS fees and biometrics each time, then the ILR, then citizenship, which being single and having to change jobs multiple times over 10 years, was about 10,000, so about 1,000/year when you think about it. I’m working towards a tier one to try to avoid having to to get a new work visa every time 😅

[@PoppyDontree]

That's a great plan! Hope you'll get the tier one visa soon! 😊

[@TolgaGuney00]

The scale-up visa coming up on 28 August 2022, which then you could able to change jobs without changing the visa anymore

[@AddiRockART]

@@TolgaGuney00 that’s great! I was working on an exceptional talent visa just to try to avoid having to do so many visas- many tech jobs are start ups and they fold. You get bounced around like a pin ball in the machine lol

[@obi-wankenobi8446]

That doesn't sound right... My girlfriend came to the UK for University for 4 years, and after that she was allowed to apply for citizenship for free because she'd been living here for 4 years... She didn't have to take tests or anything

[@MAB941]

11229 divided by 5 = 2400 roughly means 200 £ pm to stay in UK 🇬🇧. SO FAR !! Not bad !

[@trevorsomers8344]

Should have just come over on an inflatable boat from France. You would have got everything for free and stay as long as you like! That's how messed up this country is. Even get an interpreter at the job center when you arrive

[@Psmith-ek5hq]

Those bastards won't be too worried about paying the fuel bills this winter, will they?

[@tadeojo5413]

Please note that the cost for the Visa, Health surcharge and English test are increasing year on year. If you want to ask a question about your application, it will cost 2.75 gbp per question and they'll probably tell you to wait as your application is in progress.

[@marinahannah4774]

Regarding the naturalisation process - add about 130 pounds for biometrics (to have an appointment at a more convenient time and not queuing for it for months). Also, after Home office approval you need to attend a citizenship ceremony - I had to pay for a private £220 because the wait for a £80 group one was another 3 months. On top of the nine months it took HO to make a decision, I really didn't want to wait even more without any valid travel documents .... Then the passport itself, £80 pounds.

[@cassiesibbs219]

Why does the Uk make it so difficult I know this man who is British but married a woman from Zambia he’s been struggling for months he ended up apply for Germany and he says it was so simple and straight forward

[@gerardharrison262]

An applicant applying for ILR is not required to pay the immigration health surcharge, (IHS).

[@geordiegeorge9041]

Why does it cost so much money, I am a UK citizen who lives in Germany. My residency permit cost me nothing. When I applied for citizenship I only had to pay for the tests in, total approx three hundred pounds. My ID card cost thirty pounds, and my passport seventy five pounds.

[@FirstLast-ko3qh]

Bunch of South Africans were on a road trip in Africa and they got kidnapped. The guy with dual citenship, a UK passport and a South African passport was held while the others were free to go. This guy was never seen again. That gives you an idea of the value of a British passport.

[@MaksimBuligyn]

My friend just passed the test for 50£ and paid 1300 for a passport and he's now a Brit. Never heard about the B1 test lol

[@Aylin79]

How long did he have to wait to get his citizenship application decided? I have been waiting for nearly one year and still no naturalization ceremony invitation letter is received!

[@naveenmessi2705]

Liked this video mainly because of how positive you sound even after the massive fees involved through those 5 years:p Take care

[@chrishaps6846]

We paid solicitor to handle all matters - GBP 800 lump sum on top of all the charges you mentioned

[@TheWatcher66]

Cost is an irregular verb. Past tense and past perfect are the same as the bare infinitive. Good luck! There is no “ COSTED”.

[@PoppyDontree]

I have been using costed for so long - thanks for the correction!

[@kkkk685]

that is if you did it all your self not solicitores which is every time £600 that means another £2400 for solicitores fee and i had to pay £170 each time for finger print if i needed it quick which i did !!!! also you forgot to mention if any mistake or if home office not happy with paper work it will take you to 10years route not 5years ,that means you have to pay more by atleast another 6k

[@Zill-cool1000]

Point of correction you don't pay IHS when applying for ILR

[@PoppyDontree]

Thanks!

[@cdp181]

IHS is now £624 each year. Also certain countries make you pay in a different currency and swindle you on the exchange rate.

[@mickclarke6634]

Yes and this fee is is despite you having a job and paying NI contributions. PROSTITUTE NATION.!!!!

[@epicmotorcyclerides2812]

Cost me around GBP6500.00 for my Filipina wife of 30 years. Whole process took 4 months and many emails and phone calls. In the end, UK Visa office in Sheffield did an outstanding job and now my wife is in the UK with our kids. There are many horror stories out there of couples who have struggled, so not every case is the same. I was just super meticulous when putting all the information together during the application stage. VFS Global in Hong Kong were also incredibly helpful.

[@anusharai3075]

Always waiting for your new video. You're the best !

[@tdy491]

I know a lot of people who have been staying in the UK for much longer than yourself but they don’t have a british accent 😄

[@Nicheadvice]

Thank you for this video I'm a mortgage broker and I specialise in getting mortgages for people who are living and working here on a visa. I never knew the actual cost of becoming a British citizen and some of the stages in the process so this will be useful to know good luck with the channel and check mine out if you're interested in mortgages in the UK.

[@Mr-Dutchy-Dutch]

well done welcome to the UK

[@charmaineagathocleous5999]

It is insane! My niece has a british passport and lived in South Africa, she moved to the UK a year ago and had to leave her underage children with my sister and now a year later she has to pay around 8000 UK pounds to get her kids there! Absolutely ridiculous! When refugees can enter for free and get housing. She is practically also a refugee due to the violence she was exposed to in South Africa as she had to stay in low costing properties and could not find a job that pays her more than 300 pounds. I find it absolutely appalling

[@TheBoyStory_0]

And it's gone up since this video... NHS surcharge has doubled... will now be looking at a whole lot more!

[@PoppyDontree]

😢

[@bellas4967]

I can’t keeep watching stop with hands

[@rosahacketts1668]

I'm British and don't understand why people are so eager to gain citizenship here. I love my country but believe it has gone down hill badly over the past 15-20 years. Stress has increase greatly due to demands at work, waiting time for the NHS is now out of the roof ectara, housing is hard to get - from what people have told me and all these checks you have to go through when apply for a new job, we never had to do that 18 - 20 years ago.

[@ventaliq]

true

[@i_Lndr]

💯 agree, The U.K. is not what it was once known for. I’m Scottish born and bred, living and working in Egypt now last 23 years with my family, stress free, great weather, very cheap to live and have a great life. When i go back to visit the U.K, everyone is stressed, broke and miserable, living pay check to pay check. It’s not a life living in the U.K.

[@johnp5515]

That's because you are deluded and you don't understand how living in other countries where many people are coming from is. Sorry if I'm harsh but this it is the truth.

[@judgementalTX]

Being able to get in the country without applying and being treated like a thief is one of them. If my wife wants to come to the UK with me and our British by descent kids for a short holiday, she has to apply. It's a pain in the proverbial.

[@hashirandzayn]

For indefinite leave to remain you don't pay IHS there is no requirements of IHS for indefinite VISA

[@cecilopez-cotarelo4209]

I am currently in the process of getting my naturalisation and honestly despise the Home Office. I'm an EU citizen so luckily had no visa requirements, but the cost is still extortionate. They don't recognise a GCSE in English as proof knowledge of the English language, and the Life in the UK would be difficult even for a native Brit to pass. It feels like immigrants are held to a higher standard of 'Britishness' than those born here.

[@ImranHussain-kd1vm]

The NHS fee for 2.5 years is £1560 your calculations was wrong Also when you applied for ilr you paid ihs fee Which is you will get refund

[@CraftEccentricity]

That is really cheap considering if you got seriously ill, and by law they would have to help you, the cost to the British taxpayer would have been over a million.

[@crystal777h]

I'm am here on the same visa, however we also have 2 child dependants, so these costs are almost multiplied by 3 (the children will get passports after 3 years and won't have to do indefinite leave to remain). The amount of money is eye watering, but we would do it again in a heart beat.

[@bobbydazzler8684]

Congratulations! It's also worth bearing in mind that once granted full citizenship, you and your children become entitled to full social benefits in the UK, e.g. housing, school and health care. Not to mention the political, economic and security benefits of life in the UK - which are priceless!

[@usmansabir1407]

@@bobbydazzler8684 School and health care is free even for people settled (ILR) but not citizen. It is also free for children born in uk to parents with visa restrictions such as student of business visa etc. As for housing , there is no easy road to social housing other than join the queue and wait for years. Most fellow immigrants I have known tend to pay rent as private tenant. Looking at the rising crime rate, drop in policing, rise in right wing extremism , security is gradually but surely out of the window. Its definitely a slow but fairly steady decline. Not to mention , although the healthcare is free but the steady and fairly rapid decline in quality of it is raises the question of "does free necessarily mean good"" because afterall ""treatment in need is the treatment indeed"". And if it really was that great, then doctors and nurses wouldn't be flying to Australia in droves. The application fee for ILR is around £2400 per person. The application fee for citizenship is around £1400 (this excludes the English language testing fee, oath ceremony, life in UK test which btw teaches you the things about UK that most British don't know, and travel document/ passport) . So basically there are or rather were, only two benefits to being citizen 1- Visa free travel to most destinations 2- And this was the biggest one, right to settle or work in EU Now that the 2. is virtually gone, it seems like a big expensive con.

[@diwuriee7324]

Indeed the easiest and less costly way is not to married a British Citizen but an EU citizen who has settled in the UK. Two of my friend on first application were given five years each which was part of the EU withdrawal agreement. And the good news, wait for it.....they did not pay for the visa. It was issued freely to them as spouses of settled EU citizens. But if you married a British Citizen, that is when you have to spend even though the fee is high, but can be recoup in the first year of good employment and also having a British Passport

[@PoppyDontree]

I have a friend from Pakistan and he married an EU citizen living in UK and yep you're right :)

[@nathanevans6331]

I'm a British citizen living in Italy,my daughter is a British citizen but her mother is from the Czech Republic,we are thinking of moving back to the UK next year...so my wife is going to have to go through all of this?? Even if her husband and daughter are both British citizens.? Thank you Nathan.

[@PoppyDontree]

To be honest I'm not sure. My original passport is non-EU and the rules has always been a lot more difficult for non-EU citizens to settle in the UK with their British family member. Pre-Brexit you wouldn't have had any problem as your partner an EU citizen but now I'm really not sure what the rules are Post-Brexit. But look in to "Surinder Singh", you might be eligible. Link here: www.gov.uk/family-permit

[@nathanevans6331]

@@PoppyDontree Hi ok I appreciate that I'll give it a look...if I remember rightly the surinda singh route may have expired... trying to get some help online is nearly impossible....who would you recommend I speak to for some serious information? thanks again.Nathan.

[@embalmertrick1420]

Its an unfair system, you have to pay to jump through the loops of bureaucracy and have no rights in the meantime. To get married to a British person you have to apply for a fiancé visa in your country of origin, more than £1k, then at arrival, arrange the provisional leave to remain (more cash) then the permanent leave to remain (more dosh) and still, you cannot vote. So then the citizenship with the test and all as explained. £6k for the privilege. Am very 😡😡😡 because if you jump in a dinghy you get everything for free on the spot. Plus Kranky in Scotland lets everyone vote. 😡😡😡😡😡

[@s_k4407]

By the time you get your citizenship may be totally exhausted insome case mentally retired 😴 😆

[@frankdenn9056]

And the current tax take from citizens to HM Government is the highest in 50 years, which should fund these Public Services, however just get used to paying for everything twice if you live in the UK. As for the discrimination of British Citizens by its own Government for daring to marry someone who may not be a British Citizen, well the facts speak for themselves, this is the self serving money grabbing Public Service you can now expect in the UK.

[@RJS4287]

Interesting contrast with videos from That Johnston Life & Bamfamalan who migrated from UK to Australia and have done visa costs there.- Thanks for your videos and good luck.

[@RisingSun-ny4wu]

Why did you pay for the IHS when applying for ILR as this is not needed at that stage. You do not need to pay IHS if you’re applying for a visitor visa or to remain in the UK permanently.

[@stephenboat3427]

Spanish passport cost only € 25.50 and the ID card is €10.50, very cheap.

[@zinastanescu]

I paid £1.700 did cost mine i I past right 1st time my exams. ,and for documents as well. Now I British

[@cash4cat]

Crazy money making scheme, funny thing is, the queue is all the way round the block😁

[@anthonyduffy4268]

Great Video! Thank you!

[@lifeteaches4477]

You are just lucky to be on a short way to citizenship .Living here just 5 years & after getting ILR a spouse is eligible for citizenship straightaway while all others on different routes have to wait another 1 year before become eligible to apply for citizenship .For most immigrants the home office is a nightmare as there is so much politics & twists in the rules that cause troubles for migrants .The twists in the rules are so consistent that sometimes even lawyers are unaware of changes .For most migrants the path to citizenship is from 10 years to 20 .Due to tough rules it is even getting harder. Home office is no doubt making huge sum of money from skyrocketing fees.

[@zombalomba1]

When I applied for my citizenship, I needed to provide knowledge of English via the English speaking and listening test (B1 English test). Apparently my pass in GCSE English was not applicable and therefore had to cough up something like £130. All in all, this test lasted 10minutes and was nothing more than a basic conversation.

[@cecilopez-cotarelo4209]

I was shocked when I realised my GCSE didn't count. Luckily they did accept my degree, but those cost about £30k so not really a cost-effective solution 😅

[@zinastanescu]

We’re did you paid £130 Mine was £150 in London but I got it. Even British citizenship as well

[@programinc7581]

I paid 10000... as a student who works part time. Lived alone and being screwed over by lots of stuff like student finance 🙂 🙃

[@Shoppinginlondon]

I spend £7000 plus and next year I will need to pay for my ILR which will cost me £3000 more or less I think

[@softtravel8454]

😳🤭

[@RussellChapman99]

£150 to take a level B1 English exam, I would have thought it would be the B2 which is a more intermediate level. Oh and the past of cost is cost, not costed. An interesting video.

[@steveholt6517]

As a uk citizen I had no idea. Very interesting

[@kaynebromley7311]

They make 3000% profit from visa applications. It's genuinely disgusting. I can't believe what i'm going throught to keep my wife - MY WIFE!!! In the UK. After 10 years together. We plan on retiring abroading after what UK has put us through. Making that money and leaving by 50!!!

[@s3ra9h1m]

All up, from visa to citizenship, it cost me about £6000