What is the Nationality Checking Service?

The Nationality Checking Service is a partnership between the Home Office Border & Immigration Agency and some local council’s in England and Wales. Sandwell will offer an optional service to those applicants who wish to take advantage of it. For a modest fee, they will check that applications for British nationality are completed correctly and have been submitted with all the necessary supporting documents and the correct fee. They will photocopy and certify valuable documents such as passports and will forward applications to the Home Office by special delivery post. Applications of this type can often be dealt with more quickly than those which turn out to be incomplete. Applicants using this service will be able to keep their passports and other valuable documents rather than be required to send them to the Home Office.

Will the Council give me advice about nationality?

The Council will not be able to provide advice on nationality matters. If you require advice locally, you can contact the West Bromwich Citizens Advice Bureau, 22 Lombard Street, West Bromwich, B70 8RT, Tel: 0121 553 4423 Alternatively, you can contact the Nationality Helpdesk on 0845 010 5200. Lines are open from 08.30 until 18.00 Monday to Friday.

Will my application get processed more quickly?

The time it takes the Home Office to deal with an application varies according to individual circumstances and other factors, including the number of applications under consideration at a particular time. However, complete and accurate applications are dealt with, on average, more quickly than those that are incomplete or which require further enquiries.

Do I have to pay for the checking service?

These fees will be effective from 1st September 2007. If you have any queries please do not hesitate to ask a member of staff.

Payment can only by accepted by cheque (accompanied by a valid guarantee card), or cash. Please make cheques payable to ”Sandwell MBC”

On providing the Nationality Checking Service to members of the public and upon payment of the above fee (s), a receipt will be issued with each transaction.

• Adult who submits a single application pays one fee £40.00
• Husband and wife living together who apply at the same time pay one fee £55.00
• Husband and wife (and up to 2 children) £65.00
• Additional children on parents application - £15.00 per child (e.g. based on 4 children £95.00)
• One or more children under the age of 18 who apply separately from their parents - £15.00 per child

Do I have to use the Sandwell MBC checking service?

No. The service is entirely optional and just gives you greater freedom of choice. You can still make application yourself direct to the Home Office or use a solicitor or other agent if you wish.

What happens when I use the checking service?

You will make an appointment with our Citizenship Advisors on 0121 569 2486. When you visit, staff will help you to complete your application form for British nationality or they will check that you have completed it properly; they will check that you have paid the correct fee; they will check that all necessary accompanying documents have been enclosed; and they will photocopy any valuable documents that need to be considered by the Home Office, certifying that they are true copies. They will then send the application, fee and copies to the Home Office for consideration. They will return your valuable documents such as passports straight away so that you are not parted from them. This will provide peace of mind and enable you to travel, if you need to, whilst your application is being processed.

Will all local authorities provide this service?

No. It is up to each council whether they wish to provide the service and this will probably depend on how many citizenship applications they have each year in their area. However, if you live in an area that does not provide a checking service you can submit your application to any participating local authority.

How do I get a citizenship application form?

Application forms and advice leaflets can be obtained from Sandwell Council Citizenship Advisors, in person, or by post. They can also be obtained from the Home Office website or from Nationality Group direct.

Contact:
The Citizenship Advisor
Sandwell Register Office,
Highfields, High Street,
West Bromwich.
B70 8RJ

Tel: 0121 569 2476
Fax: 0121 569 2473
Email: registrars_westbromwich@sandwell.gov.uk

How do I know Sandwell Council is competent to offer the checking service?

The Citizenship Advisors are registered with the Office of the Immigration Service Commissioner, an independent body established by Parliament, which regulates organisations offering services of this kind.

• Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) Website

What do I do if I want to complain about the service I receive?

If your complaint relates to the attitude or level of customer service provided by Sandwell Council you should direct your complaint through the Sandwell Council Complaints procedure. A copy of the Complaints leaflet is available from the Register Office, Sandwell Council House, or complain online. Alternatively if your complaint relates to the quality of the advice you have been given and the professional competence of an officer employed by Sandwell Council, you can make your complaint in writing to:

Office of the Immigration Service Commissioner
Complaints Section
5th Floor
Counting House
53 Tooley Street
London
SE1 2QN

Leaflets detailing how to complain are available in libraries, advice centres, etc. Details are also available on the OISC website at: www.oisc.org.uk

Disclaimer

Using the NCS does not mean that your application will receive preferential treatment at the Home Office. However, if your application is complete in every detail, it is more likely to be completed quickly than otherwise.

The fees charged by the local councils for administering the NCS are a matter for them rather than the Home Office. Any complaint or comments about the service or the fees should be directed to Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.

Use of the NCS does not guarantee that an application will be successful. Nor does it guarantee that further enquiries will not have to be made. The Home Office reserves the right to make any enquiries it sees fit in considering a nationality application. Information may be shared with other government agencies where it is necessary for them to carry out their functions.

Naturalising as a British Citizen in the Future

Please note that changes to the way people will become British citizens currently under discussion, which will involve earned (or active) citizenship, will not be introduced until the late 2010. Until then existing arrangements for naturalisation will continue

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 citizenship1'. Under these proposals migrants will be expected to pass through 3 key stages and demonstrate certain requirements in order to progress between these. Our 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 Home Office: UK Border Agency website.
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.