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Hello all,

I was told I can acquire British citizenship although both my parents are US American and so am I. The reason is that my grandfather was from the UK. Looking up how to get the citizenship, I cannot find any official source proving that point. Is this true? Is there anyway I can play my double descent to obtain British citizenship or does it need to be a direct parent-child link?

In that case, would my dad (son of my grandfather) need to get British citizenship in order, then, for me to get it from my dad?

Thank you for any help provided!

British nationality passes only a single generation for children born outside the UK. From what you have stated, it's likely that your dad is British (by descent, as the first generation child of a British citizen born outside the UK and assuming your grandfather was married to your grandmother). But that is where it stops and even if your dad is British by descent, you are not British if you were also born outside the UK.

This is no workaround or solution to this issue. But if your dad was born in the UK rather than outside that would make you the first generation child, and you could claim to be British by descent if your parents were married.

In order to give a proper answer, it would be necessary to have more details, such as the following;

a) When and where was your grandfather born?
b) When and where was the parent through whom you claim UK heritage born?

These questions are important because the key years that UK citizenship laws changed were in 1948 (when a UK specific citizenship was created), 1971 and 1982-3, from when the current law applies. Lucapooka is correct in stating the law as it stands, post 1982-83. But there is a chance that as the law was different earlier, you may have a claim to citizenship.

You may want to read through the Nationality Act 1948 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/194 ... 056_en.pdf and Nationality Act 1981 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/61

As an aside, remember that this is a forum of people like you, on a journey towards UK citizenship. We are not lawyers and can therefore only advise from our limited knowledge.