Become a British Dual National

  • British Nationals can claim a British Passport and enjoy many benefits, including the right to live and work in the UK.
  • You could be British from birth even if you never had a UK Passport and never visited the UK.
  • In order to use British citizenship, it would have to be recognised by the UK government.
  • Your claim could be standard or complex. We specialise in helping people who have potential complex claims to British Citizenship.

We can assess your eligibility for UK citizenship...

Do I have a Standard Claim?

We consider these to be simple claims for British Citizenship:

  • You were born in the UK before 1983 and your father was not connected with an embassy or consulate,
  • Your father was born in the UK before 1983 (and your parents were married) and your father’s father was not connected with an embassy or consulate,
  • You were born in the UK after 1982 to a parent who was a British citizen or resident in the UK with Indefinite Leave to Remain (at the time of your birth), or
  • Your father was granted citizenship by the UK government before your birth (and your parents were married).

Applications for a British passport by an applicant in a category above can usually be made without the need for a specialist citizenship lawyer. The issues mainly concern evidence and documentation, verification of identity, and sometimes the validity of a marriage.

Do I have a Complex Claim?

Whether you have a complex claim to British Citizenship depends on factors such as your family history, including the places and dates of birth of your parents and grandparents. It can also depend on dates of adoption, marriage and the independence provisions of former UK territories.

The following are clues that you may have a complex claim to British citizenship.

You or a parent:

  • held a British Passport,
  • was born, adopted, or lived in the UK or a current British territory,
  • was born in a former British territory to a parent born elsewhere or to unmarried parents,
  • was born in a former British territory and did not become a citizen of the independent country,
  • was a Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies, or a British Protected Person.

If you think you may have a complex claim to British Citizenship, our citizenship specialists can help.

If you have a simple claim or qualify in a different category (for example for registration) we will inform you.

However, if you believe you have a complex claim, to determine this conclusively we will need to prepare a Citizenship Report. This is a legal opinion from our specialists who will examine your family history and old documents such as birth, marriage and registration certificates to determine if there is a possible claim (sometimes known as a ‘Status Trace’). If the Citizenship Report has a positive outcome, we can then help you with the appropriate application to get official recognition of your status.

When we submit an application on your behalf, we will send a detailed letter of representation setting out the basis of your claim. Citizenship applications can require a high standard of documentary evidence and argument to achieve a successful outcome. This is our expertise.

UK Dual Citizenship Law

UK law permits dual citizenship subject to some exceptions.

  • A British subject or British protected person will lose that status on acquiring another citizenship.
  • A British Overseas citizen, British National (Overseas), British protected person, or British Overseas Territories citizen connected with the British military bases in Cyprus who currently has no other non-British citizenship may qualify for registration as a British citizen. They would permanently cease to qualify should they acquire another citizenship.
  • The child of a British citizen or other British national who acquired another citizenship:
    1. will not qualify for registration as a British national on the grounds of statelessness,
    2. is potentially less likely to qualify for registration as a British citizen (or British overseas territories citizen) on a discretionary basis.
  • Any British national who has or acquires a second citizenship or passport is more susceptible to losing his or her British Citizenship by deprivation by the UK government. This is a complex area of evolving law.

If you would like advice on the laws surrounding dual citizenship and British citizenship, please contact us or enter your details in the form below.

Other Countries

Many countries do not allow dual citizenship. If you acquire British citizenship these are the possible effects in the law of the country whose citizenship you currently have:

  • nothing, or
  • automatic loss of existing citizenship, or
  • automatic loss of existing citizenship unless you obtained permission in advance, or
  • potential loss of existing citizenship by administrative action of that country’s government, or
  • refusal by other government to recognise your new British Citizenship.

Passportia can advise if the country of your existing citizenship is Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa or the United States.

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Immigration Adviser

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