Acquiring a different nationality is a big decision.
It signifies a change in your identity and integration into the country which you now consider to be home.
If you’re over the age of 18 and you have lived in the UK for many years, your route to citizenship is known as naturalisation.
You will qualify to apply for UK citizenship if you have lived lawfully in the UK for five years, with at least 12 months of permanent residence or Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Children under the age of 18 years can apply for British citizenship. This process is known as registration.
If a child is born abroad to a British citizen parent, it is not always the case that the child will become a British citizen at birth.
This will depend on how the British citizen parent acquired their citizenship.
If the British citizen parent was also born abroad and acquired their citizenship through ancestry (i.e. from their own parent), then it is unlikely that the British citizen child will acquire British citizenship automatically at birth.
If you are considering taking this step or want to ask questions about it regarding you or your child, please get in touch today.
