Immigration Corner | Applying to correct a citizenship certificate

Dear Mr Bassie,

I have found a mistake on my British citizenship certificate. Please advise me how I would go about having it corrected.

DD

Dear DD,

Persons who wish to replace or correct a United Kingdom citizenship certificate must pay a fee to order a replacement registration or naturalisation certificate or to correct mistakes on a certificate. How a person orders a certificate depends on when they became a citizen.

PERSONS WHO BECAME A CITIZEN AFTER SEPTEMBER 30,1986

To replace a lost or damaged certificate

Persons should be aware that it costs £250 to replace a lost or damaged certificate. They should fill in the form online, and they will usually be able to keep their documents while the application is being processed.

Please note that persons can get help with completing the online form if they do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device or if they do not have Internet access. However, persons can only use this service if they are applying while in the United Kingdom.

Persons who live in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or a British overseas territory will have to apply in person or by post instead. Those persons should check which one applies with their governor’s office. Persons who live elsewhere may apply in other ways.

Persons can also use a paper form if they live elsewhere and want to apply by post. Those persons will need to submit their documents with the application. They should read the nationality forms guide online to help them fill in the form then send the form and payment slip (including the fee) and their documents to:

• The lieutenant governor if they are in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man

• The governor of the territory if they are in a British Overseas Territory

• UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) at the following postal address, if living elsewhere:

Department 102

UKVI

The Capital

New Hall Place

Liverpool

L3 9PP

Please note that persons must tell the police if the certificate has been stolen.

TO CORRECT MISTAKES ON A CERTIFICATE

To correct mistakes, persons must download and complete an application for a correction of a registration or naturalisation certificate and send the form and their original certificate to Department 1, UKVI at the address below.

Those persons will need to pay a £250 fee if the mistake on the certificate was their fault. UKVI will send a letter advising whether they need to pay.

Department 201

UKVI

The Capital

New Hall Place

Liverpool

L3 9PP

PERSONS WHO BECAME CITIZENS ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30, 1986

Those persons who became a citizen prior to September 30, 1986, can search the National Archives and order a certified copy for a:

• Registration certificate issued between January 1, 1949, and September 30, 1986

• Naturalisation certificate issued between January 1, 1944, and September 30, 1986.

Please note that persons cannot get a replacement certificate from UKVI if they became a British citizen before October 1986.

Persons who are in need of additional help should contact UKVI directly for help.

All the best.

John S. Bassie is a barrister/attorney-at-law who practises law in Jamaica. He is a justice of the peace, a Supreme Court-appointed mediator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a chartered arbitrator, global vice-president of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (UK). Email: lawbassie@yahoo.com