Registration of an Adult as a British Citizen

Our team has extensive experience of preparing successful Registration applications for adults.

Having worked with the Home Office, we understand how carefully they will assess every application and if they deem that you do not meet the eligibility criteria, or if any of the requirements regarding the process or documentation have not been met, the application can be refused.

Our team will work diligently to ensure that your applications are successful.

What is Registration of an Adult as a British Citizen?

Registration is the only way that a child under the age of 18 can become a British citizen if they are not automatically a British citizen by birth. Registration is also available for adults, in certain circumstances.

Unlike applications to naturalise, to be registered as a British citizen it is not necessary to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English Language and Life in the UK. However, any applicant aged 10 years or over will still be subject to the good character requirement.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible to register as a British citizen, you would need to demonstrate:

  • you were 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

  • you were born in the UK before 1 July 2006;
  • your parents were not married at the time of your birth;
  • you have never been a British citizen; and
  • you would have become a British citizen 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, a British subject, or a British protected person;
  • you were in the UK five years before the date of application for registration as a British citizen;
  • during the intervening five-year period you were not absent from the UK for more than 450 days or in the UK in breach of immigration laws; and
  • in the twelve months immediately before the date of application you were not absent from the UK for more than 90 days or subject to any restriction on the period for which 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);
  • the Secretary of State is satisfied that you do not have any other citizenship or nationality, and the Secretary of State is satisfied that you have not voluntarily lost through action or inaction any other nationality at any time after 4 July 2002 (or, if you are only a British National (Overseas), after 19 March 2009).

or

  • 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 serving outside the UK; and
  • if you are under 18 at the date of application your parents consent to the registration.

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 after your 10th birthday.

Discretionary applications

If none of the above requirements are met, it may be possible for you to apply to register as a British citizen on a discretionary basis. Our team has vast experience in advising clients on discretionary applications if needed.

For more information about us and our British Citizenship and Naturalisation services, please contact a member of the team who can answer any questions and guide you through the process.

My son was born in Uganda. His father is a naturalised British citizen. Is it possible to obtain a British passport for my son based on his father’s British nationality?

Your son m…

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Your son may have a claim to British citizenship and be able to apply for a British passport, provided he was born after his father obtained British citizenship himself.

Because your son’s father obtained British citizenship by way of naturaliation, he is considered a British  ‘otherwise than by descent’ and is therefore able to automatically pass his citizenship to his children, regardless of where the child is born.

My husband and I are EU nationals and our child was born in the UK. We have obtained Settled Status in the UK but only after our child was born. Is our child eligible for British citizenship?

As your ch…

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As your child was born in the UK, and you subsequently obtained Settled Status, your child may be registered as a British citizen at any time prior to their 18th birthday.

Once the Home Office have registered your child as a British citizen, an application can be made for your child’s first British passport.

I am a French national, have lived in the UK for 5 years and have just been granted Settled Status. Am I eligible to apply for British citizenship?

Possibly, …

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Possibly, but you would need to meet all of the various requirements to naturalise as a British citizen. Eligibility will depend on a number of factors. The requirements will vary depending on whether you are married to a British citizen at the time of applying. 

To be eligible to naturalise as a British citizen, an applicant who is not married to a British citizen must:

  1. Have been settled in the UK for at least one year before the date of application; ;
  2. Have been living in the UK legally for five years continuously before making the application;
  3. Have been physically present in the UK on the date five years before the application is received by the Home Office;
  4. Have been absent from the UK for no more than 450 days in total during the five year qualifying period, and no more than 90 days specifically in the year immediately before the application is made;
  5. Have sufficient knowledge of the English language and life in the UK;
  6. Be of good character; and
  7. Intend to make the UK their primary home upon naturalisation.

Where the applicant is married to a British citizen, there is no requirement for the applicant to have been settled in the UK for a full year before applying. Instead, they must only be settled in the UK as at the date of application. The residence assessment is also different: they must only show that they have been lawfully and continuously resident in the UK for 3 years before the date of application (during which time they must not be absent for 270 days in total during the 3 year period, and no more than 90 days specifically in the 12 months immediately prior to the date of application). 

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