There are special provisions in British nationality law for children under 18 that may make it possible for you to This is a complex area of British nationality and every case must be assessed on an individual basis. B) You have a parent who; In Portugal, that length of time is 6 years. If you were born in Northern Ireland to an Irish or British parent, you can choose to be an Irish citizen. Sorry, but no; your grandmother's child (your father/mother) will be able to claim British citizenship, if you grandmother was born in the UK. You can find the list of requirements specific to your situation here: British Citizenship for a Person Born to a British Mother Note, the U.S. Government does not encourage dual nationality as a matter of policy because of the problems it may cause. You or a parent were born in a former British colony, subject to further criteria being met. It depends on when you were born and your parents’ circumstances. You can apply for a British passport if you have British nationality. This is called claiming citizenship by double descent. No problem for wealthy Brits fleeing the city in private jets, Your parent had a UK-born mother (and this parent did not have a UK-born father) and was registered as a British citizen between 2 February 1979 and 31 December 1982, A parent was in Crown service at the time of your birth, You, or a parent, were born in a former British territory, Your parents married before 1949 and your paternal grandfather was born in the UK, Your mother was married to a British man before 1 January 1949 (regardless of whether or not he was your father), You, or one of your parents, were born in a former British colony, A British parent spent up to two and half years in the UK before the child was born, The family moves over to the UK and spends at least two and half years in the UK. My mother has successfully claimed citizenship via her mother’s British citizenship rights. ONLY our BRITISH citizenship is defined in law. This iniquitous set of circumstances led to much disappointment for people who, had their personal circumstances just been slightly different, would have had a valid claim to British nationality. At one of our nationality seminars earlier this year, a gentleman was able to claim citizenship through his mother’s ex-husband’s British-born father. 41900) and hold an Australian Financial Services License issued by ASIC to deal in foreign exchange (1st Contact Group - AFS License number 335 126). In your case, your great-grandfather, a British citizen born in Scotland, would be British otherwise than by descent. You or a parent was registered as a British citizen, a citizen of the UK and colonies or a federal citizen of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, A parent was in Crown service at the time of your birth. The most common routes to nationality are where: While South Africa does allow its citizens to hold dual citizenship, any South African over the age of 18 must get written permission from the Minister of Home Affairs before applying for a second citizenship. Our monthly newsletter with all the news and important updates, delivered to your inbox, Cape Town
For queries and advice, contact www.sableinternational.com. My mother was born in 1948 to a British-born mother and South African father. ! If you were born outside of the UK after 1 January 1983 and have a UK-born grandparent may have a claim to British nationality if: A) You have a UK-born grandfather who was in UK Government Service at the time of the descendant parent’s birth; or…. Double descent claims are usually taken on a case-by-case basis. Reply Delete. We’ve seen the effect that this arbitrary discrimination has had on applicants. You may be eligible to apply for citizenship if you were born in the UK and are not a British citizen. UK citizenship for EU nationals after Brexit, British nationality law for children under 18, They had a UK-born grandfather who was in, Was registered as a British citizen between 2 February 1979 and 31 December 1982. The Citizenship Act was recently changed in 2009 to limit that citizenship by descent to one generation – also known as the “first generation rule”. You can claim British citizenship by descent grandparent if you meet certain UK nationality requirements. But there are some circumstances where your application can be refused or your existing passport can be retained. Enter our Festive R500 Advent Calendar competition to stand a chance of winning R500 every day from 1 to 24 December. However, many argue that the United Kingdom passport will lose its worth once Brexit comes fully into effect, since Brits may be required to hand red tape to travel to other European countries. Discover if you qualify for British nationality through your heritage. After they turn 18, several rights to British nationality fall away and can be lost forever. She has never been to Ireland as her father and I are divorced and she has been living with me ever since. Having a UK born great grandparent does not entitle the applicant to any UK birth rights. This means that having a UK born great grandparent means that there is no provision available to qualify to live and work in the UK. It can get complicated, as there are so many factors at play, so it’s always best to consult an experienced nationality specialist. From this checklist, you can see that claiming British citizenship through double descent has quite a few qualifying hurdles. thesouthafrican.com is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Reproduction without permission prohibited. There are hundreds of ways to potentially qualify through a parent or grandparent or colonial connection. There is no provision for UK Ancestry working rights and British nationality is passed down a maximum of 3 generations. Any info would be a great help. Recent changes to the law have created many more opportunities for children to acquire British citizenship through a father or mother, including adopted children and children of unmarried parents. United Kingdom - Passport & Nationality - British Citizenship from Grandmother There are provisions in British nationality law allowing a claim from a grandmother. Kind of crazy, that because she is MORE British (by ancestry) than my first friend, her children can't be! in South Africa, Portugal and Australia are not registered with the OISC however the similar standards are observed by our staff in all regions. But the Italian government is slow and the ruling from 2009 has still not been made law. Regent Square, Doncaster Road, Kenilworth, 7708
TheSouthAfrican.com is all about South Africa and the stories that affect South Africans, wherever they are in the world. Claiming British Citizenship by descent (grandparent) – also known as British Citizenship by double descent – is based on at least one of your grandparents being British. Now, applications cost $200 and if your application is rejected you don't get that money back. claim British nationality. Your parents married before 1949 and your paternal grandfather was born in the UK. Our offices are for administrative purposes only, no visitors will be accepted without an appointment. +27 (0) 21 657 2120, Durban
These are also complex cases and each claim must be assessed on an individual basis. I have called the British consulate in UK and Australia and they couldn't give me an answer but they want me to put in an application. Being English, Welsh etc is NOT. She is 17 now and was born in Saudi Arabia. A person ceases to be a British national on the date the Home Secretary registers the declaration of renunciation. However, there are guidelines put in place which you can follow if you are looking to claim British citizenship by descent through a grandparent. Read up about the UK. In our 20 years of helping South Africans claim British citizenship, we’ve seen some truly bizarre claims. Those born outside of the UK before 1949 and who have a UK-born grandparent may claim British citizenship in certain circumstances. I am currently looking into the possibility for myself and my mother to get a British/Netherland passport. We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK (FCA no. Conduct Authority in South Africa (1st Contact Money [PTY] Ltd - FSP no. 517570), the Financial Services I am american so I am a 1/3 bristish or something like this. Born after 1 January 1983 (18 and over) An adult born outside of the UK after 1 January 1983 with a UK-born grandparent may have a claim to British citizenship by descent if: They had a UK-born grandfather who was in Crown service at the time of the relevant parent’s birth Your grandmother was born in the UK and has what is called British citizenship otherwise than by descent, therefore she was able to automatically pass citizenship to … This process is called claiming double descent. Hi all, I live in Australia and was just wondering if anyone knows the answer to my question. 04387054) and our UK office is authorised to practise immigration law by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) under Registration No F200100004. +27 (0) 31 536 8844, Croydon
No, British citizenship only descends by one generation - your mother can claim British citzienship but you can't. Can my daughter get the Irish citizenship and passport through her father who became an Irish citizen by naturalization after her birth? After spending a further 12 months in the UK on ILR, you may apply for UK citizenship and if successful you will receive a British passport. I was born prior to 1983 in South Africa. Someone else I know, with 2 British parents, was born abroad before 1983 and automatically became British because she had British FATHER. A British citizen otherwise than by descent, can automatically pass on 1st Floor, Block B, North Park, Black River Park, 2 Fir Street, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa Copyright © Blue Sky Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Sable International is a trading name of 1st Contact Money Limited (company number 07070528), registered in England and Wales. Add some festive cheer to your pocket, Your daily Horoscope for 23 December 2020, Ultra-processed food has taken over your shopping basket: Be aware, be very aware, Kaizer Chiefs: Selecting the ideal Amakhosi starting lineup, 15 Days of Free PC Games: Day 6 – Download ‘Metro: 2033 Redux’ from Epic Store today, London Christmas lockdown? Parent from outside Ireland and UK. So, if what follows below doesn’t precisely describe your situation, do not lose hope. Reply Top. It is possible to acquire British citizenship by descent. Address: Regus Business Centre South Africa– Blue Sky Publications (Pty) Ltd T/A TheSouthAfrican Number: 2005/028472/07. Not through a grandparent, I am afraid, UNLIKE Irish nationality which CAN be got in that way. If you think you may be eligible for an Ancestry visa, get in touch with us on immigration@sableinternational.com or give us a call on +44 (0) 20 7759 7530 . As of 2014, the Czech Republic recognizes dual-citizenship, so I can hold both my U.S. and Czech nationalities legally. my grandmother is half british and had citizenship in england and my greatgrandmother is full british. Here are some of the most obvious situations: This area of British citizenship law is even more complex, so you’ll need to get your case assessed individually. You may still have a claim, even if you don’t have the most obvious family ties to the UK. I have recently received an extension of my spouse visa but was just thinking of the possibilities really Thanks. Every British citizen is either a British citizen otherwise than by descent or a British citizen by descent. Thanks. His son, your grandfather, born outside the UK would be British by descent. That said, the process is still fresh in my mind, so here’s a look at the process I followed to +44 (0) 20 7759 7514. Applications for British citizenship by descent through a grandmother have been rejected by the Home Office. CR001 Moderator Posts: 75388 Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:55 pm Location: London Mood: Re: Can I apply for British citizenship if my child is British. A lot of us can. But there is a route to British citizenship and with grandparents born in the UK it is definitely easier than getting British citizenship if your parents were born somewhere else. Replies. This difference is important because the type of citizenship people have decides the way in which they can pass British citizenship on to their children who were born outside the United Kingdom. My father was South African, my mother Rhodesian. Chenae. It is important to take action and process your British citizenship application before a child turns 18. However, her children can only get the Ancestry Visa, not citizenship. My maternal grandmother was born in London before World War I. Is there a way I can get a european/British passport? These are the most common situations our clients find themselves in: Claims in such circumstances are less common, but can arise in the following circumstances: Several rights to British nationality fall away when a child turns 18 and can be lost forever. It is not retroactive. My great grandfather was born in Netherlands im not entirely sure if he gave up citizenship. Address: Riverbank House, 1 Putney Bridge Approach, London, SW6 4TJ. Our online assessment uses your personal circumstances, and those of your parents and grandparents, to let you know your chances of attaining a British passport. If you were born after 2009, you’re a Canadian if one parent is a Canadian citizen – but not if a grandparent was. I have a coworker that got a Italian passport because her grandfather was italian but not even by blood because she is adopted. If this is not done, you run the risk of losing your South African citizenship. One Croydon, 12-16 Addiscombe Road,
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