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Registration/Naturilisation Certificate vs British Passport

Can someone throw a light on this subject. Couldn't see anything on Citizenship FAQ or on UKBA website.

For a child under 18When does she/he become an "official" british citizen, on receipt of registration certificate (i.e. following MN1 application)or on receipt of first british passport?

For adults (above 18)
When does she/he become an "official" british citizen, on receipt of naturalisation certificate (i.e following AN application),
or after attending the oath ceremony or on receipt of first british passport?

passport is just a TRAVEL DOCUMENT, it is the naturalisation/registration certificate which proves your citizenship, just as a birth certificate. One may live his whole life without having a passport but being able to take advantage of his citizenship in the fields of welfare & benefits, housing, employment just on the basis of being British WITHOUT a passport!

Hope the distinction is now clear to you, passports are SECONDARY in nature and only follow after the certificates!

on receipt of naturalisation certificate (i.e following AN application),
or after attending the oath ceremony

The naturalisation certificate is only received at the ceremony after taking the oath. You only become BC then.

mcovet wrote:passport is just a TRAVEL DOCUMENT, it is the naturalisation/registration certificate which proves your citizenship, just as a birth certificate. One may live his whole life without having a passport but being able to take advantage of his citizenship in the fields of welfare & benefits, housing, employment just on the basis of being British WITHOUT a passport!

Hope the distinction is now clear to you, passports are SECONDARY in nature and only follow after the certificates!

I understand what you are saying; but for most purposes, a passport is a suuficient proof of citizenship. ( of course, to get the first passport, one needs the naturalisation cert; so in thatv sense, the cert. is primary)

Only when one doesn't have a passport does one have to show a different proof - naturalisation certificate for naturalised citizens; and mother's citizenship ( or father's , if parents were married) for people born in UK etc etc.

Thanks all for your response.

So if I belong to a country where dual nationality is not allowed.
I guess I can surrender passport of my country of origin AFTER I receive my first british passport following naturalisation/registration certificate.

nnj10 wrote:Thanks all for your response.

So if I belong to a country where dual nationality is not allowed.
I guess I can surrender passport of my country of origin AFTER I receive my first british passport following naturalisation/registration certificate.

Well that depends on the rules of that unnamed country.