British Citizenship by Descent

Individuals Born Before 1983

You may automatically be a British citizen if you were born abroad before 1983 to a British father, provided that when you were born, your father was:

• A citizen of the UK and Colonies
• Married to your mother
• Obtained British citizenship through birth or adoption in the UK or by applying in his own right (not based on British parents) or was in Crown Service (armed forces, diplomatic service, or overseas civil service) when you were born

You are not automatically a British citizen if you were born before 1983 and your parents were not married, or if your mother was a British citizen but your father was not.

However, you can apply to register for British citizenship if one of your parents was a citizen of the UK and Colonies, and one of the following applies:

• Your mother or father was born or adopted in the UK, a British Protectorate, a British Overseas Territory, or in a place where the UK government had legal authority
• Your father or mother held British citizenship in their own right (not based on their parents)
• One of your parents was in the Crown Service when you were born
• You were born in Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) or a non-Commonwealth country

Individuals Born Between 1983 and 2006

You’re automatically a UK citizen if you were born outside the UK between January 1983 and June 2006 and your father or mother was a UK citizen. You automatically acquired your parent’s British nationality if your mother or father was born/adopted in the UK, became British citizens in their own right, or worked as a crown servant when you were born.

You do not automatically receive British citizenship if your father was British but was not married to your mother. However, you can apply to register your British nationality provided you can prove that your father was born or adopted in the UK, applied for and received British nationality in his own right (not based on his parents), or was in Crown Service when you were born.

Individuals Born On or After 1 July 2006

You’re a British citizen automatically if you were born outside the UK on or after 1 July 2006 and one of your parents was British, provided that your parents could pass their citizenship to you.

Either of your parents can pass British citizenship to you if they obtained it because they:

• Were born or adopted in the UK
• Applied for it on their own rights rather (other than by descent)
• Were crown servants when you were born

If your parents are British citizens by descent, their UK citizenship will not automatically pass down to you.

However, you may be eligible to register birthright citizenship in the UK if you’re in any of the following situations:

• Your British parent lived in the UK for up to 3 years at any time before you were born
• You have lived in the UK with your British parent at any time for at least 3 years
• You were adopted in Australia
• Your father held British citizenship or indefinite leave to remain in the UK when you were born, although your mother was married to someone else at the time

If your situation falls under any of these categories, you may qualify to register for British citizenship under specific conditions.

Overview

Your eligibility for British citizenship by double descent depends on you and your British grandparents’ birth dates. You can make a successful British nationality claim through a grandparent in one of the following ways:

• You are a child under the age of 18
• You were born before 1 January 1949
• You were born after 1 January 1949

British citizenship by descent (through grandparents) claims for adults are often complex and are generally assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Citizenship by Double Descent for Children Under the Age of 18

British Nationality Law makes special provisions for children under the age of 18 who have at least one UK-born grandparent to claim British citizenship, provided they meet specific conditions.

UK citizenship claims under these provisions must be made before the child turns 18, as they’ll lose most of these rights once they turn 18.

You can apply to register as a UK citizen if you have a British grandparent who passed on their UK nationality to your father or mother, are under the age of 18, and meet one of the following conditions:

• Your British father or mother lived in the UK for at least 3 years before you were born and did not spend more than 270 days abroad within the 3 years
• You’ve lived in the UK with your parents for at least 3 years before the date of your British citizenship registration application, and you and your parents have not spent more than 270 days outside the UK in the last 3 years
• You are classed as “stateless” because you did not inherit your parents’ British nationality and did not take on the nationality of the country you were born in

You Were Born After 1 January 1949

You may be eligible to claim British nationality by descent (double descent) if you were born outside the UK after 1 January 1949 and have a UK-born grandparent. There are several scenarios under which you may qualify, including:

• You or your parents were born in a former British Territory (Post-1949 Colonies, Mandated Territories, British Protectorates, British Protected States, or Foreign Countries with ETJ)
• Your parent or grandparent was in the Crown Service (Overseas Civil Service, Diplomatic Service, British Military, or Colonial Service)
• Your parent was classed as a British citizen
• Your parents married before 1949, and your mother was a British subject

You Were Born Before 1 January 1949

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible to apply for British citizenship by double descent if you were born outside the UK before 1949 and have a British-born grandparent.

Under this category, you may qualify to apply for UK citizenship in one of the following scenarios:

• You were born before 1915, and you and your parents were not born in a Commonwealth country
• You or either of your parents was born in a British territory
• You are a woman who got married to a British man before 1949

Not that applications like this are usually complex due to the time lapse, as you would have to provide substantial evidence to prove your grandparents’ British nationality.

There are also no specific processing criteria, and applications are assessed on an individual basis.

You do not have to submit any citizenship application if you are automatically entitled to British citizenship by descent. You only have to apply if you did not automatically receive British citizenship when you were born.

There is no special application process for UK citizenship by descent. You have to follow the same procedure for British nationality registration. The procedure will confirm your eligibility or ineligibility for UK citizenship by descent (or double descent).

Applications for British citizenship can be made online or by post. You must apply by post or in person if you live in a British overseas territory, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man.

The step-by-step process for applying for British citizenship by descent is as follows:

1. Confirm eligibility: Assess your family records to confirm your claim to British citizenship by descent and identify the correct legal route for your application. You may need to consult a UK immigration attorney to assess your eligibility.

2. Gather evidence: You’ll need to provide documents proving your British heritage, including evidence of your relationship with your British parent or grandparent and the UK.
3. Complete the online application form: You can complete the form online on the UK government website. Ensure you fill out the appropriate form for your legal route. If you were born before 1983, there are different forms if you’re claiming citizenship through your father or mother.
4. Pay the citizenship application fee.
5. Attend a UK Visas and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) appointment: After completing the online application, you’ll be asked to schedule an appointment with UKVCAS to provide your biometric information. You can also have your supporting documents scanned during the appointment if you did not upload them with your online application.
6. Wait for a decision.
7. Attend a British citizenship ceremony (if required).

After you’ve sent your supporting documents and given your biometric information, the Home Office will review your application and typically give a decision within 6 months.

However, it may take longer if the Home Office requests further evidence to support your claim. You may also be required to attend an interview

If your application is successful, UKVI will notify you and invite you to attend a citizenship ceremony if you’re 18 years or older. You must book and attend the ceremony within 3 months of getting the invitation.

During the ceremony, you’ll pledge an Oath of Allegiance to the UK and receive your British citizenship certificate. You can then apply for a British passport.