THERE were calls last night for changes to be made to an anomaly which means people who live in Northern Ireland, but were born in the Republic, must pay £1,300 to get a UK passport.
A standard UK adult passport costs £75.50 if applied for online, or £85 by paper.
DUP MP Gregory Campbell described the situation as "amazing", adding that the issue had to be resolved.
"People in Northern Ireland who perhaps 50 or 60 years ago were born a couple of miles across the border in the Republic but have lived in Northern Ireland virtually all their lives - they regard themselves as British citizens, they're British taxpayers, British residents, British voters - they apply for a British passport," he said.
"They have to pay the princely sum of £1,300 to become what they already are."
Les Allamby, chief commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, said he had "no idea" why the government has not fixed the anomaly.
Speaking at the NI Affairs committee at Westminster yesterday, he said he did not believe the Good Friday Agreement presented any impediment to changing the law "if the UK government decided to exercise its discretion to do it."
The committee is carrying out an inquiry into citizenship and passport processes.
