British citizenship?
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 11:09 am
I was born in South Africa in 1972 and given up for adoption at birth - it was a closed adoption and for all intents and purposes my adoptive parents became my legal parents. The only information given to my adoptive parents was that my biological father was British and my biological mother was Rhodesian. This info was given since I was forced to become a naturalized South African and perhaps as an explanation as why my adoptive parents would be receiving such a certificate. The vault copy of my birth certificate lists my (adoptive) parents as my parents, it makes no mention of any adoption.
My (adoptive) mother was born in South Africa in 1941 to British parents who came to South Africa in 1940 because of WW2. My maternal grandparents were both born in Scotland - my grandfather in 1916 to Scottish parents and my grandmother in 1919 to Irish parents. My mother lived and worked in the UK in the early 1960s and says she had a British passport but has no documentation to support this.
I have the original birth certificates of both grandparents, their marriage certificate, my mother’s birth certificate and marriage certificate and the vault copy of my birth certificate. In terms of adoption, South Africa is listed as a country for Recognitions of Overseas Adoptionns in 1973 so this could possibly apply to 1972. But my argument is that my adoptive mother is my mother as all documentation relating to my birth lists her as my mother. Do not see how I can apply though my biological parents (which is what the law seems to say) when the adoption was legal and gave all responsibility and liability to my adoptive parents who are and always have been my legal parents and when both my biological parents chose (by giving me up for adoption at birth) to have nothing to do with me. For the past 3 years I have been trying to obtain information about my biological parents but no South African governments has responded to any request for the information.
My (adoptive) mother was born in South Africa in 1941 to British parents who came to South Africa in 1940 because of WW2. My maternal grandparents were both born in Scotland - my grandfather in 1916 to Scottish parents and my grandmother in 1919 to Irish parents. My mother lived and worked in the UK in the early 1960s and says she had a British passport but has no documentation to support this.
I have the original birth certificates of both grandparents, their marriage certificate, my mother’s birth certificate and marriage certificate and the vault copy of my birth certificate. In terms of adoption, South Africa is listed as a country for Recognitions of Overseas Adoptionns in 1973 so this could possibly apply to 1972. But my argument is that my adoptive mother is my mother as all documentation relating to my birth lists her as my mother. Do not see how I can apply though my biological parents (which is what the law seems to say) when the adoption was legal and gave all responsibility and liability to my adoptive parents who are and always have been my legal parents and when both my biological parents chose (by giving me up for adoption at birth) to have nothing to do with me. For the past 3 years I have been trying to obtain information about my biological parents but no South African governments has responded to any request for the information.