British Citizenship by Birth (for Emiratis)
A child born in the UK is not automatically granted British citizenship. If the child is an Emirati citizen born in the UK with at least one British parent or parent with settled status, the child will need to apply for British citizenship.
Contact Total Law today at 0333 305 9375 to speak to one of our experienced immigration lawyers on any issues you may have regarding British citizenship.
Overview of British Citizenship by Birth Eligibility Criteria
If a child is an Emirati citizen with a British parent and has lived in the UK until the age of 10, they are automatically a British citizen. Children with UAE citizenship born in the UK but not born to British parents are not automatically British citizens.
A British citizen born outside the UK typically cannot pass British nationality onto their child born abroad outside the UK. The child may, however, obtain British citizenship by descent, depending on the specific circumstances by which they gained citizenship.
To acquire British citizenship by birth for Emiratis and obtain dual citizenship, the child must have a parent who has lived in the UK and has settled status with Indefinite Leave to Remain, permanent residence under the EU Settlement Scheme, or right of abode at the time of the birth.
Page Contents
- Overview of British Citizenship by Birth Eligibility Criteria
- Requirements & Documents of the British Citizenship by Birth Application
- Application Fees for British Citizenship by Birth
- British Citizenship By Birth Application Process Step By Step
- Application Processing Time
- Obtaining The British Passport: The Process
- Total Law’s Team Can Help You Obtain British Citizenship
- FAQs
Requirements & Documents of the British Citizenship by Birth Application
Overview
A child is eligible to naturalise as a British citizen if:
- They were born in the UK before 1 July 2006 to a British or settled father who was not married to their mother
- One of their parents subsequently becomes British or acquires settled status and has lived in the UK before the child turns 18
- They were born in the UK and had lived there for a minimum of 10 years
There are specific criteria set out by the Home Office that all applicants must meet when applying for citizenship. You will also need to provide identification documentation.
Citizenship Child Born Abroad Requirements
If you have a child under 18, you must register them for British citizenship so that they can apply for a passport.
To apply for citizenship by birth, all applicants must be over the age of 10. They must be of good character with no criminal history, and meet the language requirements of the UK.
Applicants will also need to understand life in the UK and UK culture well.
Documentation
You will may need to provide the following documents as proof of your or your child’s identity:
- A birth certificate (photocopies are not permitted)
- The completed application form
- Biometric information (fingerprints and photograph)
Application Fees for British Citizenship by Birth
The application fee for British citizenship consists of a fee for handling and processing your application and a citizenship ceremony fee.
The application fee must be paid at the same time that the application is submitted.
The total cost of a British citizenship application is currently £1,214 for children under 18.
If your child is over 18, you must pay a £1,605 citizenship application fee (this includes the citizenship ceremony charge). If your child is under 18 and you cannot afford to pay the application fee, you may be able to apply for a fee waiver.
British Citizenship By Birth Application Process Step By Step
Overview
To apply for British citizenship by birth for a child who is under the age of 18, you will need to complete the Home Office’s MN1 British Citizenship form online on the UK government website and follow the steps that you will be guided through.
If your child was born in the UK before 1983, you must complete a T form on the Uk Gov website to apply for British citizenship by birth.
Making the application
All applications can be made via the UK government website, and applicants must submit various supporting documents to apply for Citizenship by birth.
The identity documents required to naturalise as a British citizen can be scanned and submitted online during the application process or scanned at a biometric appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services centre.
After the application
After you have submitted your application and it has been approved, you must make an appointment with a UKVCAS centre to provide biometrics (photo and fingerprints taken), and you may need to attend a citizenship ceremony, where you will receive your British citizenship certificate.
Once approved, the applicant can apply for a UK British passport and confirm status as a British citizen.
Application Processing Time
An application for British citizenship takes approximately six months to process. Straightforward and less complicated applications can be processed in 3-4 weeks, while more complicated applications may take slightly longer.
British citizenship by birth cannot be fast-tracked by paying an extra fee to speed up the processing of the application.
For advice on submitting your application correctly and reducing the chances of being denied British citizenship, reach out to an immigration specialist.
Obtaining The British Passport: The Process
Once you have obtained British citizenship, you can apply for a UK passport for permanent settlement.
If your child is under 16 and born in the UK, you must apply for a British passport on their behalf.
The application for a UK passport takes approximately three weeks to process. However, if more information is needed to support the application, it can longer.
If you wish to apply for a British passport and naturalise as a British citizen, you must provide the following information to the Home Office:
- Passport-size photo with a clear background
- Full birth or adoption certificate with the applicant’s parents’ details
- Applicant’s UAE passport
- Evidence of one parent’s British nationality (such as a UK birth or adoption, naturalisation, or a registration certificate)
The current fees for a child’s passport are £61.50 for online applications and £74 if applying by post.
The fees for an adult passport are £94.50 for online applications and £107 for postal forms.
Total Law’s Team Can Help You Obtain British Citizenship
Once you naturalise as a British citizen, you will have the right to live and work in the UK permanently and without restrictions for as long as you like.
If you are interested in starting an application for British citizenship, Total Law can help you take the necessary steps to become fully settled in the UK. We provide up-to-date legal advice for foreign nationals worldwide.
Applications for British citizenship can be rejected if the information provided is inaccurate or the documents are incomplete. To help you avoid this, Total Law can guide you through every step of the application process to naturalise as a British citizen.
If you are struggling with your British citizenship application and require expert assistance to complete it online, our legal team is here to help you every step of the way.
Whether it is you or a family member who wishes to naturalise as a British citizen, we can answer any queries you may have.
Speak to one of our experienced immigration lawyers at Total Law today at 0333 305 9375, and get step-by-step guidance on your application and how to naturalise as a British citizen.
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Related pages for your continued reading.
FAQs
If you have a child who was born abroad (in this case, the UK), Your child is not automatically a British citizen, so you cannot apply for a UK passport for a child born outside of the UK.
Their right to citizenship depends on you or your partner’s immigration status when they were born.
You could be eligible to stay in the UK under Indefinite Leave to Remain if you’re a family visa holder whose child is settled in the UK or is a British citizen.
A person is eligible for UAE citizenship if they have ancestral origins in Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar, and have been settled in Dubai for at least 3 years with no criminal convictions.