Who is eligible for a citizenship fee waiver?

You may be eligible if paying the fee would leave you unable to meet essential living needs such as housing, food, clothing, and utilities. You need to provide evidence of your financial circumstances.

How do I apply for a fee waiver?

Submit a fee waiver application to the Home Office before submitting your main citizenship application. The fee waiver form requires details of your income, expenses, savings, and debts, along with supporting evidence.

Can children get a fee waiver?

Yes. Fee waivers are available for child registration applications. The availability of fee waivers for children was established following legal challenges about the affordability of citizenship for children.

How long does a fee waiver decision take?

Fee waiver decisions are usually made within a few weeks. If approved, you can then submit your citizenship application without paying the fee. If refused, you can resubmit with additional evidence or pay the fee.

Citizenship Fee Waiver: How to Apply If You Cannot Afford the Fee

If you cannot afford the British citizenship application fee, you can apply for a fee waiver. You must demonstrate that paying would leave you unable to meet essential living costs. The process involves a separate application with financial evidence, submitted before the main citizenship application.

Who Can Apply

A fee waiver may be granted if paying the citizenship fee would mean you cannot afford:

Housing (rent or mortgage)
Food for yourself and your family
Clothing and other essential items
Heating, electricity, and water

The Home Office considers your overall financial picture, including income, savings, debts, and essential outgoings. Being on a low income does not automatically qualify you — you need to show that paying the specific fee would cause hardship.

The Application Process

Step 1: Download the fee waiver application form from GOV.UK
Step 2: Complete the form with details of your income, expenses, savings, and debts
Step 3: Gather supporting evidence (see below)
Step 4: Submit the fee waiver application to the Home Office
Step 5: Wait for a decision (typically a few weeks)
Step 6: If approved, submit your citizenship application without payment

Evidence You Need

Provide as much evidence as possible to support your claim:

Bank statements (usually 3-6 months)
Wage slips or evidence of income
Benefit award letters (Universal Credit, housing benefit, etc.)
Rent or mortgage statements
Utility bills
Evidence of debts or payment plans
A personal statement explaining your financial circumstances

If you receive means-tested benefits, this is strong evidence of financial hardship. Include the benefit award letter showing what you receive and why.

Fee Waivers for Children

Fee waivers for child registration applications have been available following legal challenges. The principle is that cost should not be a barrier to a child's citizenship rights. If you are applying for your child's citizenship registration and cannot afford the fee, apply for a waiver in the same way.

For family applications, you can apply for fee waivers for multiple family members at once.

If Your Fee Waiver Is Refused

If the fee waiver is refused, you can:

Resubmit with additional evidence addressing the reasons for refusal
Pay the full fee and proceed with the citizenship application
Save up and apply later when you can afford the fee

The refusal letter should explain why the waiver was not granted, which helps you understand what additional evidence might be needed.

Tips

Be thorough — incomplete financial evidence is the most common reason for refusal
Include a personal statement explaining your circumstances in your own words
Apply for the waiver well in advance of when you want to submit your citizenship application
If you receive help from a charity or community organisation, include their supporting letter

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