Trying to figure out requirements for my kids for our move to the UK

I've been gathering information on all the requirements for my future move to the UK, my future hubby, UK citizen, and I want to know up front all the requirements and fees so we can be prepared and save up what is needed. I've already gotten some really helpful advice when I posted my hello in the welcome wagon, which was that I can apply for citizenship through my mother because she was a UK citizen when I was born here in the states. I'm still trying to verify the actual fees for my application, passport, and such, and also trying to figure out my options for my two kiddos to move with me. I was doing some research and found some information, and wanted to post it here to find out if I'm on the right track, or if I'm way off.

From what I've found I can apply for them to become British citizens on form MN1, if I'm understanding correctly, because I'm applying for British citizenship through my mother. I looked through the guide for the MN1 form and found this section that reads:

Where one or both parents are applying for British citizenship they may apply for one or more children who are not automatically British at birth (see “Automatic acquisition of British citizenship” above) to be registered as British citizens as part of a “family application”. Children in this category will be considered at the Home Secretary’s discretion and will usually be registered only if both the parents are granted or already hold British citizenship, or if one parent holds British citizenship and the other is settled in the UK.

I'm hoping if this is correct that it will still work if I'm the only parent. My children's father is out of the picture and has never been a part of their lives. He also lives in a different state.
My future hubby and I haven't discussed when we would want to marry, before or after my move. He is making plans to come here and visit me, and that is when we will discuss everything. Also why I want to have all the information I can upfront.

Also from what I found it looks like the application fee for my kiddos could be £973 ($1,377), and the passport fee for each of them £49, which I found here https://www.gov.uk/get-a-child-passport [nofollow] . I also found https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-child-under-18-as-british-citizen-form-mn1 [nofollow] as the possible form to register my children as British citizens.

That's about as far as I've gotten. I'm not sure what the part in the MN1 guide means by "family application", unless I would apply for my citizenship through my mother and for theirs at the same time. I am also hoping that like me they could have dual citizenship, thus keeping their US citizenship, which would help my son because he has plans of coming back to the states once he's done with school and joining the Marines. Which then makes me wonder whether I even apply for British citizenship for him at all, if there is another route for him, and just apply for my daughter.

I apologize for this getting so long, and hope I've provided all needed information. It's just so confusing, and I want to be prepared and be able to know how much we need to begin saving, at least for this part of the process.

P.S. I apologize for the messed up links, I could not get it to work no matter what I did.

Tell us about your mother.  How are you eligible for citizenship through her?  Where was she born?  Where were you born (country is enough)?  What about your father?

I assume the not-in-the-picture father of your children is American?

Tell us about your mother.  How are you eligible for citizenship through her?  Where was she born?  Where were you born (country is enough)?  What about your father?

I assume the not-in-the-picture father of your children is American?

See the OP’s other thread where all this is discussed:
https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=97466.msg1291560#msg1291560

They were born in the US before 1983 to a British mother (who was born in the UK) and so they can register to become British.

However, if their children were born in the US and their father is not British, from what I understand, they cannot be registered as British unless:
- the OP was British at the time of their births
AND
- the OP lived in the U.K. for at least 3 years prior to the births of her children

I’m not sure about the provision where children can register at the same time as a parent, since it’s discretionary and there is little info about it.

From what I can tell (Form MN1 Guidance), they can only be registered at the same time if:
- both of the childrens’ parents are British
Or
- one parent is applying to register as British while the other parent is already settled in the U.K.


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See the OP’s other thread where all this is discussed:
https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=97466.msg1291560#msg1291560

They were born in the US before 1983 to a British mother (who was born in the UK) and so they can register to become British.

...

Ah, thanks.  I didn't realize there was another thread and much of this had already been discussed.

Thank you for the replies and the information. Since I haven't lived in the UK, and my children were born here in the states, if I'm understanding correctly they can't apply for British citizenship. So what would my other options be to bring them to the UK with me after I've applied and am able to move? Every search I've done only gave me the information in my original post, or absolutely nothing helpful. So any help or guidance with this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for the replies and the information. Since I haven't lived in the UK, and my children were born here in the states, if I'm understanding correctly they can't apply for British citizenship. So what would my other options be to bring them to the UK with me after I've applied and am able to move? Every search I've done only gave me the information in my original post, or absolutely nothing helpful. So any help or guidance with this would be greatly appreciated.

You would need to sponsor them for settlement visas as the children of a UK citizen parent, or alternatively, if you get married to a UK citizen, I think your U.K. spouse could act as the sponsor for their visas.

This would entail you being able to show:
- a guaranteed place for them to live in the U.K. (a property you/your U.K. spouse owns, a rental agreement in your name/U.K. spouse’s name, plus permission from the landlord for you and your children to live there, or permission to live with friends or family in the U.K.)

- evidence of a U.K. job earning at least £22,400 per year OR evidence of cash savings of at least £72,000 which has been held in your/your spouse’s bank account in full for at least 6 months.

See here:
https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/child


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Thank you so much for the information. I went to the link for the family visa for a child and found a lot of information. There are just a few things I'm not sure on that I did not find information for, and just other questions I have. Since it would work better for my spouse and I to be married so he can sponsor my children, what would be our best options in regards to getting married and my application for citizenship? Would I apply for citizenship and then we get married, or vise versa? Also, what usually works best as to where to get married, the states or the UK?

I have looked and looked to verify the cost of a British passport for myself once I'm granted citizenship, but I can't find it anywhere on the gov.uk website. Someone on here told me £1200, would that actually be correct?

The income requirements for my spouse to sponsor my children, £22,400 per year, is that for one child or two?

Since I'm applying for British citizenship, would my children's family visa application be applied for separately? I guess that falls in with my first question of whether we get married before or after I apply for citizenship.

I am assuming the child family visa application is for multiple children, so I'm hoping the fee for that application will cover both of them. Sorry, I'm just trying to get all information so I have it written down, and can tell him.

In regards to the kids application for the family visa there seems to be two Apendix to choose from. I'm hoping the Appendix 2 is the option we need:

YOU SHOULD COMPLETE THIS FORM IF YOU WISH TO COME TO THE UK AS:
• The spouse or civil partner of someone settled in the UK; or
• The child of a parent who is applying for entry clearance as a partner or the child who is applying to join their parent who is already in the UK and has been granted limited leave as partner granted under the Immigration Rules in force on 09 July 2012; or
• The fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner of someone settled in the UK; or
• The unmarried or same sex partner of someone settled in the UK; or
• The Post Flight family member (spouse or civil partner, unmarried or same-sex partner, fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner) of someone with limited leave to enter or remain in the UK as refugee or is the beneficiary of humanitarian protection; or
• The Post Flight family member (spouse or civil partner, unmarried or same-sex partner, fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner or child) of someone with limited leave to enter or remain in the UK as a refugee or is the beneficiary of humanitarian protection.
IF YOU ARE NOT COMING TO THE UK UNDER ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES, YOU ARE COMPLETING THE WRONG APPENDIX.

That one seems to apply to us, he and I get married, I've applied for citizenship, and he is sponsoring my children to move to the UK.

I do apologize for so many questions. This is just what I couldn't find through my most recent search. I greatly appreciate all the help and guidance I've received so far. There is so much information I would not have if it wasn't for the helpfulness of you on this site, so thank you.

Thank you so much for the information. I went to the link for the family visa for a child and found a lot of information. There are just a few things I'm not sure on that I did not find information for, and just other questions I have. Since it would work better for my spouse and I to be married so he can sponsor my children, what would be our best options in regards to getting married and my application for citizenship? Would I apply for citizenship and then we get married, or vise versa? Also, what usually works best as to where to get married, the states or the UK?

You can get married at any time - it's much quicker and easier to marry in the US than it is to marry in the UK, so he could fly over whenever and you can get married.

To marry in the US, he can just fly over as a visitor and you can marry within about 24-48 hours.

But to marry in the UK, if you don't have your citizenship yet, you will need to apply for a Marriage Visitor Visa to marry there... then once you are in the UK, you would have to be resident for 7 days before you can give notice to marry, and then you have to wait 28 days after that before you can marry. The same goes once you do have your citizenship, you just wouldn't need the visa.

I have looked and looked to verify the cost of a British passport for myself once I'm granted citizenship, but I can't find it anywhere on the gov.uk website. Someone on here told me £1200, would that actually be correct?

No, a passport is about £80. But before applying for the passport, you have to pay about £1,000 to register as British.

The £1200 is for people who are naturalising as UK citizens after living in the UK on qualifying visas for 5 years (for example, if you didn't qualify to register as British and had to apply for a spousal visa - you would then live in the UK for 5 years, apply for ILR, and then pay the £1200 to naturalise as British).

The income requirements for my spouse to sponsor my children, £22,400 per year, is that for one child or two?

That's for 2 children. It's £18,600 for the first child (usually this is the amount needed for a spouse but if it's a child application, you would show that for the first child), and £22,400 for two children (or for a spouse and 1 child).

Since I'm applying for British citizenship, would my children's family visa application be applied for separately? I guess that falls in with my first question of whether we get married before or after I apply for citizenship.

Yes - you would do the citizenship first, and then apply for their visas once you have your UK passport.

It can take several months to register for your citizenship, and it can also take several months to apply for the childrens' visas, which you wouldn't want to apply for until after you had your citizenship, to show that you have the right to live in the UK with them.

So, I would probably do the following:
- start your application to register as British as soon as you can
- marry in the US whenever is convenient for you (check if you need your US passport to get married as that may be with your citizenship application)
- once you have received your citizenship (can take several months), attended your citizenship ceremony (I think you have 90 days to attend a ceremony after being granted citizenship) and applied for and received your UK passport (which can take several weeks), you can apply for the childrens' visas (can take anywhere from 1-3 months).

So, I would allow several months, maybe a year or more to get everything sorted out.

I am assuming the child family visa application is for multiple children, so I'm hoping the fee for that application will cover both of them. Sorry, I'm just trying to get all information so I have it written down, and can tell him.

You need to do a separate application for each child, but you submit them together, as you will use the same evidence for both and the financial requirement covers both of them.

The fees for each child are:
- £1,523 visa application fee plus £1,200 IHS surcharge (for 'free' use of the NHS)
- if you wish to pay for priority processing for a faster decision, it's £573 per application

Total visa fees for both children = £5,446, plus £1,146 if using priority processing

However, the visa fees may increase in April 2020.

In regards to the kids application for the family visa there seems to be two Apendix to choose from. I'm hoping the Appendix 2 is the option we need:

That one seems to apply to us, he and I get married, I've applied for citizenship, and he is sponsoring my children to move to the UK.

I don't believe there is a separate Appendix anymore - I believe it has been incorporated into the online application now (at least it has for spousal visa applicants - not sure if childrens' application are the same).

Thank you so much for answering all my questions. I don't think I can thank you enough. 

We've got a lot of saving to do, figuring out, and planning. This is going to be a very timely, and costly process. I'll be working my fingers to the bone to save up everything I can. But if we're able to do this, in the end, having my life with him will be worth it in the end. But it looks like we will be apart for quite some time, minus the time he comes here to see me. Which with all we have to save up, won't be very much lol.

He's also glad to finally know the process, what we need to do, the cost, and requirements. It's a start. Thanks again.