Have your ancestors been born in, adopted in or granted nationality in the United Kingdom or a then British territory, or been in that situation yourself?
In the past, you may have sought British citizenship or a British Passport and been advised you did not qualify. Perhaps because nationality did not flow through the female line or because your parent lost UK citizenship when a country became independent (e.g. Zambia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Kenya, Mauritius).
Well, a new law for British nationality law is going through the British Parliament. Under this new law as currently drafted, a new and exciting set of opportunities will appear.
Firstly, the new legislation allows old laws (which ceased long ago) to be hypothetically re-interpreted as if a female ancestor was male or a male ancestor was hypothetically female. It is hard to predict all possibilities resulting, but the number of people who could have a claim to British citizenship will radically increase. For example, these persons may have a claim to get British citizenship:
- Persons with a connection to the UK or former British territory through a mother, grandmother or in limited cases a great grandmother.
- Persons whose father married before 1949 a woman whose father or mother was born in the UK or a then British territory.
- Persons whose mother married before 1949 a man who whose father or mother was born in the UK or a then British territory.
- Persons who or whose parent was born in a British territory and who lost UK citizenship through the acquisition of local citizenship at independence (e.g. Zambia).
These examples are just a few of the many possibilities that could open up.
Secondly, persons with a connection through a mother or grandmother to an existing British territory, such as St Helena or Tristan de Cunha, will have opportunities to get British Overseas Territories citizenship.
At Passportia there is a surge of interest from our followers seeking to find out if they qualify. The well-renowned system we use is being updated for the new Bill and we urge you to purchase a Nationality Report on your status, even if you had one done in the past.
Get in the queue and order your report!
If we have previously looked at your circumstances and found that you didn’t have a claim to British Citizenship, please email Ruth Espinosa ruth@passportia.co.uk
Otherwise, please enter your details on our easy questionnaire
Or contact our team by getting in touch
