County Council on hand to help citizenship applicants

Applicants are invited to use the County Council’s Nationality Checking Service.

For £60 and a one-to-one appointment, the County Council can check and photocopy all the original documents needed to show the United Kingdom Border Agency.

The County Council then send it securely via Royal Mail on the applicant’s behalf.

Applicants retain all their original documents which are vital should they wish to travel abroad.

The County Council cannot guarantee applications will be successful, but it can guarantee that documents will not get lost.

County Council cabinet member for public protection, Christine Field, said: “The biggest risk people face is losing documents in the post.

“For example there are parts of Africa where if a birth certificate went missing, the chances of getting a replacement are quite low.

“With our service, we make sure the Home Office receives exactly what it needs to receive from an applicant.”

Officers will recommend when an application should not be submitted – a move which will stop applicants losing their application fee of £850.

Christine added: “We cannot offer immigration advice, and we cannot fast-track applications, but we could help people save hundreds of pounds by making sure their application is completed correctly.”

For more information phone 01243 642122 or visit www.westsussex.gov.uk and search ‘Nationality Checking Service’.