British Citizenship
To obtain a British passport, you first need to become a British citizen. There are three ways to do this, and we can help you every step of the way.
There are three ways to become a British citizen: automatic acquisition, citizenship by registration, or citizenship by naturalisation.
We have a thorough understanding of all the complexities of each of those processes. Our fast and attentive service ensures that our clients achieve their goals as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Automatic acquisition
Until 1983, birth in the UK automatically led to citizenship, regardless of the parents’ nationality or immigration status. Since 1983, those born in the UK only automatically acquire British citizenship if at least one of their parents is British or has settled status. Citizenship acquired by birth in the UK is known as “citizenship otherwise than by descent”.
Children born abroad, on the other hand, can automatically acquire British “citizenship by descent” if at least one of their parents is a British citizen “otherwise than by descent”.
Citizenship can also be acquired automatically in certain adoption cases, typically where a non-British child is adopted by at least one British parent under a UK court adoption order, or in some Hague convention adoption cases.
Citizenship by registration
The UK’s former nationality laws were discriminatory. Until 1983, British women could not pass on their citizenship to their children born abroad. And until 2006, unmarried British men could not pass on their citizenship at all.
Over the past couple of decades, a patchwork of legislation has been introduced to try and remedy various instances of unfairness, through a process called citizenship by registration. Our director John Vassiliou specialises in citizenship claims for people who missed out due to historical legislative unfairness in our nationality laws. One of the main new categories of claim now possible is for British citizenship by double descent.
“Double descent” refers to someone two generations removed from a UK-born ancestor (a grandparent). Citizenship by double descent generally ceased to be possible in 1988. However, anyone born in a foreign non-Commonwealth country prior to 1988 may now have a valid claim under new nationality laws enacted in 2022 if they have any of the following:
- UK-born paternal grandmother
- UK-born maternal grandmother
- UK-born maternal grandfather
Those with a UK-born paternal grandfather probably won’t have a claim under this route, because their grandfather would have automatically passed citizenship down to their father, and their father would have had an opportunity (whether known to him or not) to register their birth at a UK consulate. The only exception to this might be in a case where either the father or the applicant were born out of wedlock.
Birth in a non-Commonwealth country is key to take advantage under the new laws. So, for example, if you were born in the USA you can now make a claim, but if you were born in Canada you cannot. However, Commonwealth citizens with a UK grandparent can instead apply for a UK Ancestry visa.
Double descent claims are made under either section 4C or section 4L of the British Nationality Act 1981. Applications under section 4C are often referred to as “UKM” applications. Applications under section 4L are often referred to as “ARD” applications.
This article explains the new law in more detail and tells the story of how it came about.
Citizenship by registration is also commonly used by children under the age of 18, and there are several different ways that children can become eligible to register.
Citizenship by naturalisation
“Naturalisation” is the process by which a foreign adult resident in the UK acquires a new citizenship. It is probably the most common way in which adults become British citizens, and we have guided hundreds of clients through this process over the years. We can apply our expertise and experience to your case to ensure the process is as seamless and stress-free as possible. See our FAQs for more on the naturalisation requirements.
If you believe you have a claim to British citizenship but don’t know where to start, contact a member of our team to arrange your initial fixed-fee consultation.
Meet our key contacts
John Vassiliou
Director and Head of Immigration
Frequently asked questions
Is my child eligible for British citizenship?
For UK-born children, the most common ways to be registered as a British citizen are if at least one of their parents later became British, or if the child lived in the UK for ten years continuously since birth.
For children born outside the UK, citizenship eligibility will be determined by whether they have a parent who is British “otherwise than by descent” (i.e. by birth or naturalisation in the UK) or British “by descent”. If the latter, they may be able to make a claim if their parent had lived in the UK for at least three years prior to their birth, or if they are stateless.
But there are several other ways. If you feel that your child has a claim to citizenship, please get in touch with our immigration experts to arrange a fixed-fee consultation, as there may be other options available to you.
What are the general requirements for naturalisation?
To apply for naturalisation, all of the following must apply. Applicants must:
- Be over 18
- Have indefinite leave to remain (also known as settlement or settled status)
- Be of good character
- Have a sufficient level of English language skill
- Pass the Life in the UK test
- Intend to reside in the UK
- Not exceed UK absence thresholds
What are the absence thresholds requirements for naturalisation?
Generally, applicants must have been resident in the UK for at least five years, with less than 450 days spent outside the UK. For spouses of British citizens, this changes to three years with less than 270 days spent outside the UK.
There is some flexibility around these numbers, and the Home Office publishes detailed guidance on how caseworkers will exercise discretion if absence thresholds are exceeded. We have successfully worked with several clients who have exceeded absence thresholds for good reasons and have gone on to make successful naturalisation applications.
What is the naturalisation application process?
Applications are made digitally through online submission of Form AN. Your supporting evidence will be uploaded via a digital portal. You will then go to a UK visa application centre to enrol your biometrics. Your digital application bundle is then sent to the Home Office for consideration. Naturalisation applications typically take up to six months to be decided, though many are decided much faster. You will attend a citizenship ceremony organised by your local authority to conclude the process of becoming a British citizen.
What is the registration application process under section 4L of the British Nationality Act 1981?
Applications are made by physically mailing a paper application on Form ARD, with attached copies of your supporting evidence. You will then go to a visa application centre in your country of residence to enrol your biometrics. You will be able to retain your passport throughout this process. Applications typically take six months from biometric enrolment to be decided, and you will attend a citizenship ceremony at a UK consulate to conclude the process of becoming a British citizen. Citizenship ceremony dates vary location by location, so you should factor in up to a year for this process to conclude.
What is the registration application process under section 4C of the British Nationality Act 1981?
Applications are made digitally through online submission of Form UKM. Your supporting evidence will be uploaded via a digital portal. No physical evidence is required. You will then go to a visa application centre in your country of residence to enrol your biometrics. Your digital application bundle is then sent to the Home Office for consideration. You will be able to retain your passport throughout this process. Applications typically take six months to be decided, and you will attend a citizenship ceremony at a UK consulate to conclude the process of becoming a British citizen. Citizenship ceremony dates vary location by location, so you should factor in up to a year for this process to conclude.
Contact us
John Vassiliou
Director and Head of Immigration
