Nationality Checking Service

Many immigrants to the UK choose to become a British citizen. Such a choice is a significant life event offering the new citizen many advantages, but the process of applying for citizenship can be a daunting one.

Bedfordshire County Council provides a Nationality Checking Service (NCS) for anyone who wishes to apply for naturalisation or British citizenship. The NCS is a partnership between the Home Office Border and Immigration Agency and local councils in England and Wales.  

Anyone applying for British citizenship can make their applications, in person, at the Bedfordshire Registration Office on Brickhill Drive, Bedford.

For a small administration fee, the NCS Officer checks that applications are completed correctly, have been submitted with all the necessary supporting documents and the correct fee.  The officer will photocopy valuable documents such as passports, certify those copies as true copies, and then will send the copied documents along with the completed application to the Home Office by special delivery post.  

Using the NCS is strictly optional and does not mean that an application will receive preferential treatment at the Home Office, nor does it guarantee that an application will be successful or that further enquiries will not have to be made..  However, if an application is complete in every detail, it is more likely to be completed quickly than otherwise.  An added benefit is that those using the service will be able to keep their passports and other original documents rather than sending them to the Home Office.

All Bedfordshire County Council officers administering the NCS have been trained by and registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC), who are the regulating body. 

The Nationality Checking Service is open to anyone applying for British citizenship, not just residents of Bedfordshire. However, if you do reside in Bedfordshire, successful applicants can then go on to have their citizenship ceremonies at the Bedford Register Office.

Fees for the service for 2008 are as follows:

Type of Application	Fee
Adult who submits a single application:	£41.00
Husband and wife living together who apply at the same time:	£62.00
Husband and wife (and up to 2 children)	£94.00
Additional children on parent’s application:	£16.00 per child
One or more children under the age of 18 who apply separately from their parents	£16.00

 

Earned citizenship

What are the proposed changes?

On 20th February 2008 the Government published the Green Paper ‘The Path to Citizenship: Next Steps in Reforming the Immigration System’. In this document we outlined our proposals for changing the way that someone can become a British citizen or remain here as a permanent resident. These proposals are collectively called Earned citizenship*. Under these proposals migrants will be expected to pass through 3 key stages and demonstrate certain requirements in order to progress between these. The aim is to make the journey clearer, simpler and easier for migrants and the public to understand. The three stages are set out below:

1. Temporary residence

2. Probationary citizenship

3. British citizenship/permanent residence

Further information on the implementation of the proposed changes will be announced following parliamentary approval in 2009. Existing arrangements for naturalisation will continue until these proposals come into effect.

* You can access the consultation via the following website:

Path to citizenship|

Please note that the consultation closed in May and the Government’s response document, including an analysis of the public responses received will be published in July and placed on the UKBA website.

 Appointments

To find out more about the Nationality Checking Service or to make an appointment please call Bedfordshire County Council on 01234 228 085 or email lifeevents@bedscc.gov.uk|.