British Citizenship by Registration

If you do not qualify for British citizenship automatically, you may be eligible to apply for registration. This should be as a British citizen. Either by way of entitlement or on a discretionary basis.

In order to be entitled to register as a British citizen, you will need to satisfy the Home Office. To do that, you have to meet the eligibility requirement. If you are not entitled to be registered as a British citizen you may still apply. This should be on a discretionary basis as a child. Or at any time before your 18th birthday. Or as a British overseas territories citizen, at any time.

Eligibility

In order to be entitled to register as a British citizen, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you meet one of the following requirements:
– If you were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983, you are not automatically a British citizen by birth. And your mother and/or your father became British citizens or settled in the UK before your 18th birthday, and you applied for registration before your 18th birthday; or
– Should you have been born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983. And you are not automatically a British citizen by birth, on or after 13 January 2010. Your mother and/or your father became a member of the armed forces. This has to be before your 18th birthday. And you should have applied for registration before your 18th birthday; or
– You were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983, you are not automatically a British citizen by birth. You were absent from the UK for no more than 90 days in each of the first ten years of your life. And you applied for registration at any time after your 10th birthday. You may therefore apply under this provision. This can be at any age; or
– If you were born outside the UK on or after 1 January 1983, at the time of your birth one of your parents was a British citizen by descent, that parent’s father or mother was a British citizen otherwise than by descent, at any time prior to your birth that parent had been in the UK for a consecutive period of at least three years, during that three year period that parent had not been absent from the UK for more than 270 days, and you applied for registration before your 18th birthday; or
– If you were born outside the UK on or after 1 January 1983. At the time of your birth, one of your parents was a British citizen by descent. You apply for registration before your 18th birthday. And you and your parents were in the UK on the day 3 years before the application is made, during the intervening 3-year period. Also, neither you nor your parents have been absent from the UK for more than 270 days, and both your mother. And your father consent to the registration; or
– Should you have been born outside the UK and Colonies before 1 January 1983. At the time of your birth, your mother was a Citizen of the UK and Colonies. And you would have automatically been a Citizen of the UK and Colonies by descent through your mother if specific provisions of British nationality law had provided for this at the time of your birth in the same way as it provided for citizenship by descent through a father, and if in those circumstances you would have had the right of abode in the UK immediately before 1 January 1983; or
– When you were born in the UK before 1 July 2006. Your parents should not be married at the time of your birth. If you have never been a British citizen, you can become a British citizen. This is in certain specific circumstances had your parents been married at the time of your birth; or
– You are a British Overseas Territories Citizen, a British National (Overseas), a British Overseas citizen. Also, a British subject, or a British-protected person. If you apply for registration. If you should be in the UK five years before the date of application, during the intervening five-year period. Also, if you were not absent from the UK for more than 450 days. Or in the UK in breach of the immigration laws, and in the twelve months immediately. This has to be before the date of application you were not absent from the UK. This should be for more than 90 days or subject to any restriction on the period. As you might remain in the UK; or
– You are a British Overseas citizen, a British subject, a British protected person, or a British National (Overseas. If you apply for registration, the Secretary of State will be satisfied that you do not have any other citizenship or nationality. Also, the Secretary of State is satisfied that you have not voluntarily lost through action or inaction. And any other nationality at any time after 4 July 2002 (or, if you are only a British National (Overseas), after 19 March 2009); or
– When you were born outside the UK on or after 13 January 2010. At the time of your birth, your mother or father was a member of the armed forces. If you are serving outside the UK, you apply for registration. Also, if you are under 18 at the date of application your parents consent to the registration.