The Nationality Checking Service is a partnership between the Home Office UK Border Agency and Essex County Council. The service is available to all applicants for British citizenship.
Our advisors will check that all applications for British nationality are completed correctly, are submitted with the right documents and with the correct fee. All the necessary documents will be photocopied, certified and sent with the application to the Home Office. This means that you do not have to send the originals of your important documents, such as passports and marriage certificates to the Home Office.
Complete and accurate applications tend to be dealt with more quickly by the Home Office than applications that are incomplete or involve further enquiries. The time to process each application varies according to individual circumstances and according to how many applications are being considered at the same time.
If you live in an area that does not provide a checking service you can submit your application to any participating local authority service. Alternatively, you may choose to send your application direct to the Home Office yourself or to use a solicitor or other agent.
Application forms
Fees for the checking service
| Adult who submits a single application pays one fee |
£65 |
| Husband and wife living together who apply at the same time pay one fee |
£95 |
| Husband and wife (and up to 2 children) |
£115 |
| Single parent (and up to 2 children) |
£90 |
| Additional children on parents application |
£25 per child |
| One or more children under the age of 18 who apply separately from their parents. |
£25 per child |
Who to contact
The Nationality Checking Service is available at six registration offices in Essex:
Benfleet
01268 361350
Castle Point and Rochford Registration Office
Council Offices Kiln Road
Benfleet Essex SS7 1TF
Billericay (currently unavailable)
01268 526535
Billericay Registration Office
Burghstead Lodge
143 High Street
Billericay, CM12 9AB
Braintree
01376 323463
Braintree Registration Office
John Ray House
Bocking End
Braintree, CM7 9RW
Chelmsford
01245 437925
Chelmsford Registration Office
17 Market Road
Chelmsford, CM1 1GF
Colchester
0845 603 7632
Colchester Registration Office
Stanwell House Stanwell Street
Colchester, CO2 7DL
Epping
01992 572789
Epping Forest Registration Office
St John's Road
Epping, Essex, CM16 5DN
Saffron Walden
01799 510320
Uttlesford Registration Office
Council offices London Road
Saffron Walden
Essex, CB11 4ER
If you need advice you can contact the Nationality Helpdesk on 0845 010 5200 (lines open 8.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday). The
UK Border Agency also offers nationality advice. Essex County Council does not provide advice on nationality matters.