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BRITISH CITIZENSHIP

If you are over 18 and have been living in the United Kingdom for the last five years, you may be able to apply for naturalisation as a British citizen.

 

You can register as a British citizen if you have some other form of British nationality:

  • a British overseas territories citizen

  • a British overseas citizen

  • a British protected person

  • a British subject

  • a British national (overseas)​

 

You can register as a British citizen if you are:

  • a British overseas citizen,

  • a British protected person,

  • a British subject or British National (Overseas) with no other nationality

 

You can register as a British citizen under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997

You can register as a British citizen if you were born before 1983 to a British mother

You can register as a British citizen if you are a British overseas territories citizen with a connection with Gibraltar

You can register as a British citizen if you were born in the United Kingdom on or after 1 January 1983 and lived here up to the age of 10 you can register as a British citizen if you have previously given up your citizenship

Children

There are several ways that a child can meet the requirements to register as a British citizen. Depending on the child's circumstances, they will be able to apply for registration as a British citizen by entitlement or discretion. If the child has a right under British nationality law to apply and be registered as a British citizen this is an entitlement. If the child does not have a right under British nationality law to apply and be registered as a British citizen, registration will be at home office's discretion

 

Naturalisation

You can apply for British citizenship by naturalisation if:

  • you’re 18 or over

  • you’re of good character, eg you don’t have a serious or recent criminal record

  • you’ll continue to live in the UK

  • you’ve met the knowledge of English and life in the UK requirements

  • you meet the residency requirement

 

And you must usually have:

  • lived in the UK for at least the 5 years before the date of your application

  • spent no more than 450 days outside the UK during those 5 years

  • spent no more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months

  • been granted indefinite leave to stay in the UK (or permanent residence if you’re an EEA national) - this means there’s no specific date that you have to leave

  • had indefinite leave to stay in the UK for the last 12 months (or permanent residence if you’re an EEA national)

  • not broken any immigration laws while in the UK

 

Children under 18

You can apply on behalf of a child under 18 if the meet the eligibility criteria. They don't have to pass the Life in the UK test.

 

Information above reflects current policy, but can change at anytime. Beaumont Park Associates is always up to date with any change, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions regarding to a British citizen.

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