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Hello guys ,
My mum applied for British citizenship on 8th May 2014. Her application was refused on the 29th April 2015 due to failing to meet the "good character" requirement. They said my mum did not apply for asylum within 28 days of entry to the UK. However we were aware of that but did not have any problems as the new law came into action on December 2014 , almost 7 months after my mum has applied. They also refused to refund. They have said we should try again after December 2017 if our application have to be successful. I have gone to see the MP who is incharge for my borough and He has written a letter to the Home office asking for a refund. I just wanted to know who is in the wrong here ? so i can see the chances of this being successful as you guys have more knowledge on these things than me. Thanks a lot

HO don't refund the application fee for refused applications. Standard procedure, they have not done a 'wrong' by not refunding the fee. You should get £80 back though which is the ceremony fee. It is the applicants responsibility to meet all the requirements.

The December 2014 changes took effect for applications in progress and new applications.

How can they not tell the applicant of these changes ? they introduced the new good character law 7 months after my mums application. and they made a decision to refuse my application after nearly a year.

It is the applicants responsibility to make sure they are aware of any changes, it was published on the HO website.

do u know by any chance when this was published ? or where i can find this. thanks

Crucially, the good character requirement has been a requirement since 1983.

It was the definition of good character that was tightened in December 2014.

Applied in May 2014, decision given in April 2015 and asking for advice in October 2016, thats 18 months from decision date

Before it was changed , there was nothing on there about how if a person did not seek asylum before 28 days , it would be considered as bad character. Also the reason why I'm seeking advice 18 months after is because I have contacted HO about this matter via letters and only got replies on September.

CR001 wrote:It is the applicants responsibility to make sure they are aware of any changes, it was published on the HO website.

Sorry if i was not clear , I meant to ask if they published anything about the change before the actual change took place. thanks

See also snapshots.

tbh1990 wrote:Hello guys ,
My mum applied for British citizenship on 8th May 2014. Her application was refused on the 29th April 2015 due to failing to meet the "good character" requirement. They said my mum did not apply for asylum within 28 days of entry to the UK. However we were aware of that but did not have any problems as the new law came into action on December 2014 , almost 7 months after my mum has applied. They also refused to refund. They have said we should try again after December 2017 if our application have to be successful. I have gone to see the MP who is incharge for my borough and He has written a letter to the Home office asking for a refund. I just wanted to know who is in the wrong here ? so i can see the chances of this being successful as you guys have more knowledge on these things than me. Thanks a lot

Dear

CR001 was right. As for me, I think it is too little too late now. I looks like it was intentionally held up for the new law to kick off. But without proof either side, your best bet is to relax n wait until 10 years have elapsed before making a fresh application. It is 10 years because she was considered as being illegal and 10 yrs start from the time she was granted legal status. As for the application fees, take a deep breath and move on with your life. People lose their father, mother etc. such is life

£2244 Is a lot of money especially when it was rejected without any reasonable reasons. Yes there are worse things in life but would you not want to try if it is the HO fault for all of this?

A citizen application DOES NOT cost £2244.

CR001 wrote:A citizen application DOES NOT cost £2244.

That was the money we had to pay HO for my brother, me and my mothers application which all got rejected.

Your opening post and query is only about your mother. Any answers given have been in response to what you stated. If there were more people, you should have mentioned this.

Highly unlikely that you will get a refund.

sorry , i only stated my mother because they rejected it due to that reasons.

Suggest wait till December 2017 as HO advised and apply again.