If a child is looking to claim British Citizenship by double descent before the age of 18, there are particular circumstances that can make them eligible: There are a number of situations where you can qualify for British Citizenship by descent (grandparent) under this scenario. Those born outside Scotland to at least one parent who has Scottish citizenship - this appears to be modelled on the Irish system, allowing citizenship by descent where an overseas birth is registered in Scotland. "We used this service for the spouse visa extension application to assure that all the information was valid and correct. 5 Tips for a Smooth UK Passport Application Process. money. What is Irish Citizenship By Descent? The date of their birth. Can I get Scottish citizenship through DNA test? British Passport Renewal from New Zealand. Amendments to the nationality law became . Argentina , Brazil , Ghana , Ireland , South Africa. Otherwise for citizenship, you must have a Finnish father who is legally married to your mother. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Regular updates and clear and easy to follow, directions for each step. There are time limits within passport application so a responsive service is invaluable. Foreigners normally must have 5 years of residence in Ireland before being able to apply for naturalization. Outstanding service throughout. I never worried about it but in order to do this, I had to get it fixed. If you find out that a grandparent or even a great-grandfather (in . I can thoroughly recommend this service! One of the easiest ways to acquire dual citizenship is by descent. The must also have held Polish citizenship until the day of your birth. Jade Robinson Apr 7, 2021. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Kept informed at all times during application, courier, service, progress report, and delivery. Applications based on being the parent or grandparent of an Irish citizen (by 'ascent'), or a sibling, or other relative of an Irish citizen are generally refused. As we saw in the earlier example, when the British Nationality Act 1981 came into effect on 1 January 1983, this father was then reclassified as a British citizen by descent. 8 comments. This is known as British Citizenship by descent, or more specifically, British Citizenship by double descent. As UK citizenship rules are complex, call us on +1 844 290 6312 for help to ascertain if you are eligible to claim British citizenship by descent (grandparent). There are several ways that you can qualify for British Citizenship by descent (grandparent) but they must be provisional in the law providing that a grandparent or great grandparent was classified as British or born in the UK. You can get citizenship by descent up to the third generation in Lithuania as well. Factors that must be considered are when you were born, when your parent was born, if they were born inside or outside the UK, how your parents(s) became British and more. The U.S. citizen must be able to directly file a visa petition (Form I-130) for every person that he or she wishes to help immigrate. 1 Dual citizenship happens automatically in some situations, such as when a child is born in the U.S. to parents who are residents of a foreign country. However, you might take comfort that Scotland is a country where you don't have to be born here to be considered an honorary Scot. I was born in 1987. Have at least one parent or grandparent who was a Czech or Czechoslovak citizen. Responses were prompt, and instructions easy to follow. Those born between the dates of 1 January 1983 and 30 June 2006, would qualify for UK citizenship as long as their father is considered to be a British citizen. In December I realised that my UK passport only had a few months to run. Its not the grant of ones citizenship. Have at least one parent who was a Colombian citizen by birth or naturalization. In summary, our father basically held two forms of British nationality: Now, the person that approached us was actually his child. Inherent to citizenship is the right to hold a passport. Although British passports have changed somewhat since the UK has left the European Union, they are still considered to be one of the most sought-after passports in the world and is well worth pursuing if you feel you may be eligible. A native Finnish citizen is a person who has received Finnish citizenship at birth. Now, I wont go into it in too much detail, but these connections meant the paternal grandfather was actually British other than by descent on 1 January 1983. If grandparent, he or she must have been born in Ireland. In order to qualify for British citizenship by descent, you must meet certain eligibility criteria. contact a member of the MyBritishPassport team. Wonderful service from Carla who made the process so easyThank youAmanda. There is a fee of 50.00 per certificate requiring authentication. He was born in South Africa in about 1980, I believe. under a month from start to finish. (The UK makes things slightly complicated by changing the terminology of what the nationality was called throughout each law change that took place in the history of British Nationality). 353 061 518 025, IAS Head Office UK If one or more of your grandparents was born in the UK, there may be some circumstances in which you could claim British Citizenship through them, called British Citizenship by double descent. More info Have parents, grandparents or great-grandparents who lived in Poland after 1920 or whose address can be found in various registers. You need to have that other connection to either another colony or to the UK or somewhere in the British Empire. Designed to make your visa application as smooth and stress-free as possible. It can be done while the child is in South Africa and the child will get a British passport. Contact IAS to get help with the complex process of establishing if you have a claim to British Citizenship by descent through a parent. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. If their parents were never married, they would still be eligible for UK citizenship. For example, you might automatically become a citizen if youre born outside the UK to a British parent.You were born outside the UK. I can honestly say this is the first top notch service Ive had in years! In this case around the 1980s. However, note that being born in the UK is not a guarantee that you will be eligible for UK nationality. Theyre quite rare so I'm surprised to see them one after the other. The next generation happens to be born in Northern Rhodesia, which is now Zambia, and Northern Rhodesia at that time was slightly different. From start to finish the whole process took 21. days. If you're not able to secure citizenship somewherethere's also the option to live a nomadic lifestyle and travel the world. Evelyn (AKA, Mrs. Rover) has a few passions in life: real estate, traveling and dreaming about retiring with Mr. Rover. He then approached the passport office and they confirmed that he is British. Because, you see, a lot of people have this misconception that they become a citizen the day the passport is issued. Professional, efficient, swift, friendly. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. In an independent Scotland all British citizens born or habitually resident in Scotland on day one of independence will have the right to acquire a Scottish passport, although, as in most countries, there will be no requirement to hold one. So-called "citizenship by descent" laws in your ancestors' country of origin may qualify you for a second citizenship and a passport as a matter of right. I provided all of my paperwork and the visit went quite smoothly. How do I renew my UK passport in New York? So the short answer is, yes, you can inherit British citizenship if youre South African and you have a great-grandparent born in the UK, but its not as easy as if you have a grandparent or parent born in the UK. Erica Erim. All direct descendants of a persecuted ancestor are eligible, including children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. "Citizenship by descent" is a process that allows you to apply for citizenship based on your grandparents' lineage. Step 2: Fill out The Application for Irish Citizenship by Descent. You can find a list of Irish embassies abroad where you can mail your application here. My grandparents always wanted to go back to their country. To qualify, you must have at least a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who meets the eligibility criteria: They were a citizen of Lithuania before June 15, 1940. Your child or yourself could have a claim. My wife's British Passport was renewed professionally and hassle-free. Can I get a British passport if my grandfather was British? You could also be eligible for British citizenship by birth, by descent, or by double descent (British citizenship through a grandparent). Really useful service! There are 3 possible scenarios in which a successful claim for British Citizenship by descent through a grandparent can be made: Once a child turns 18, there are particular circumstances that normally apply for British Citizenship that are no longer available for applications. There is 16% Greek/South Italian, 12% Sardinian, and 8% Scandinavian, specifically from SE Norway which seems to be a rare group (reflected in only 6 of my 12,000 + DNA matches). They made the whole process stress-free and Im so glad I made this choice. His son, the person who was British by descent, was born in South Africa. South Africa at that point, was also part of the UK colonies. I just received my new British passport and could not be happier with the service I received from Brittany at. UK immigration rules allow an automatic claim to British Citizenship if you have a grandparent (and, in rare cases, a great-grandparent) born in the UK. Can a U.S. citizen petition for grandchild? Have at least one parent who was a French citizen at your time of birth. Fees. You can also learn more about British Citizenship by Birth. Then from there, with that information, you can decide whether youd like to engage our services to help you prove this very complicated route with the government. Greek citizenship can derive from parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents who are or were Greek citizens. United Kingdom Passport Renewal from abroad: Tips for 2023, your father was born or naturalized in the United Kingdom, your mother was born or naturalized in the United Kingdom, you were born abroad but one or both of your maternal grandparents were born in the United Kingdom (this would qualify you for British citizenship by double descent). Youre a woman who was married to a British man before the year 1949. 9 Yarra Street, South Yarra, VIC 3141 I highly recommend them. These are all the right ingredients for registration as a British citizen for the child. There is no specific application process to apply for American British dual nationality all you need to do is to apply to become a UK citizen. It was my first time to use a third party to renew my british passport. Comprehensive immigration advice tailored to your circumstances and goals. I can highly recommend their service. In this case the important one was the grandmother, because she was born in the UK and the great-grandfather, her husband, was born in South Africa. Slovakia is an EU country with one of the world's best passports. I hesitated briefly, but realised that this was the best solution for me to renew my passport. Have a Swedish parent at the time of your birth. Find out about paying for a faster decision. 3. The Italian citizenship law is also not based on "blood" but on descent from a citizen of Italy who died after the unification of Italy in 1861. ", "Spouse visa uk application was successful after working with your staff. You can claim British citizenship by double descent ifyou have a grandparent (and in rare cases a great-grandparent) born in the UK. Children under the age of 18 will need to claim citizenship before the age of 18 or they will lose all rights to British nationality. If at the time of your birth one of your parents was a British citizen or settled in the UK, then you are automatically a British citizen. In the case of ancestors, citizenship is by descent. 8. pkroks 3 days ago. MP:In this instance, it was a great-grandmother born in the UK. No country will grant you citizenship based on the results of a DNA test alone. Prove that youre able to support yourself whilst be accommodated in the UK. But, more importantly, the Citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies would have passed on, would you believe, from the father to his son who was born in South Africa in 1980. instructions. Its a much more complex route. Have at least one parent or grandparent who was a Portuguese citizen. Find out more about citizenship by descent and whether you could be eligible. If you were born outside of the UK, you may still be eligible for British citizenship by descent if your parent was a British citizen at the time of your birth. Suddenly all countries in the EU are open to you relocating for the long term. People who have extensive ancestry in this area find, on average, to have more than 75% of their DNA matching the Scotland region. In order for you to qualify for British Citizenship by descent (double descent), there are particular guidelines that you need to match. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The customer service was top notch! The rules around eligibility for British citizenship by descent vary depending on when you were born and the circumstances of your parent/s or grandparent/s at the time of your birth. +44 (0) 20 7759 7514, Melbourne So what I'm going to take you through is basically two scenarios that have come up in the last couple of months. This depends on the laws of both countries. UK immigration rules allow an automatic claim to British Citizenship if you have a grandparent (and, in rare cases, a great-grandparent) born in the UK. British citizenship by descent is a term used to describe someone who was born outside of the UK and acquired British citizenship on the basis of their ancestry. There are other avenues to dual citizenship too, with some of the most popular being investment and naturalization. 4 Can a U.S. citizen petition for grandchild? Have at least one parent who is a Dominican citizen. You will need to have your birth registered in the Foreign Births Register. Can you miss someone you were never with? According to Dutch nationality law you can qualify for Dutch citizenship via your parents if they were Dutch at the time of your birth. Have at least one parent who was a Dutch citizen at the time of your birth. These are the following circumstances in which you can claim British Citizenship by double descent if you were born after 1983: If you were born before January 1st, 1983: You may be able to claim British Citizenship by double descent when: If you were born before January 1st, 1949: The most common cases of those born before 1949 claiming British Citizenship by descent (grandparent) include: Only British citizens are able to apply for a British passport. MyBritishPassport is a leading provider of British passport application and renewal services from abroad. Luckily I didn't take their word for it so I called the local embassy and in fact, I was eligible. says "any foreign national with Serbian descent, has the right to acquire Serbian citizenship by written request" but includes no more specific information. Yes, you could qualify for British citizenship through your mother. Getting your British passport renewed while living in the USA can be a. daunting challenge, but MyBritishPassport really made things so easy. Bradmon Drive, Capri, St Catherines, Ontario, Canada, L2M355, Soluta Street, Sunset Beach, Cape Town, 7441, Satellite offices located in: USA, South America, Australia, New-Zealand, Europe, Asia, Copyright 2021 MyBritishPassport, All Rights Reserved, Miguel is amazing! Bear in mind that some of these claims are time sensitive. With British citizenship by descent, however, you can not normally pass citizenship to children born outside of the UK, unless they were born to a parent in crown, designated or EU service. Whenever I had a question or needed further clarification, I was able to get in contact with him and get an answer quickly.