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British citizenship by descent
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2023 1:55 pm
by dead joe
Hello everyone.
So here is my situation, pretty straightforward, but a there's a twist to it.
I am French, born in France in April of 1986, from a French mother and a British father (born in the UK from British parents). I think this would normally be enough to make me British by descent. But here's the twist : my father recognised me in June of 1987, so 14 months after my birth. Two months after the requisite 12 months span. And he is now deceased, so a DNA test is not possible.
So my question is : What other documents could constitute valid proofs of paternity ?
I have read all the documentation at gov.uk and have not found an answer. I have also contacted the nearest consulate, as well as the Home Office, who kindly offered the help of a lawyer for a modest 120£...
Re: British citizenship by descent
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 2:45 pm
by secret.simon
Was your mother married to anybody at the time of your birth?
Re: British citizenship by descent
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 3:49 pm
by dead joe
No, my parents were not married but my mother was not married to anyone else either.
Re: British citizenship by descent
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 4:17 pm
by secret.simon
dead joe wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 3:49 pm
my parents were not married
That's fine. Had they been married, you would not have asked the question you have.
dead joe wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 3:49 pm
my mother was not married to anyone else either
That's crucial, because had she been, you would not have been able to claim British citizenship from your British father.
dead joe wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 1:55 pm
my father recognised me in June of 1987, so 14 months after my birth.
Were you issued with a new birth certificate listing your British father's name as a parent at that time?
If so, I think that that may be acceptable for the purposes of being able to apply for a British passport.
dead joe wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 1:55 pm
he is now deceased, so a DNA test is not possible.
Do you have any known British half-siblings through your father? Alternatively, are you in touch with your British father's family, who may be OK with providing a DNA test? These are all options to look into.
Re: British citizenship by descent
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 6:51 am
by dead joe
First of all, thank you very much for all your answers, you are of great help. I was really starting to lose faith navigating through the administration.
secret.simon wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 4:17 pm
Were you issued with a new birth certificate listing your British father's name as a parent at that time?
If so, I think that that may be acceptable for the purposes of being able to apply for a British passport.
On the full birth certificate it is an addendum at the bottom, saying that he recognised me at that date. On the official extract though, issued afterwards, it says that I am born from so and so, listing them as my parents without any distinction whatsoever.
I have also foud a Certificate of French Nationality at my name where my father is listed as such. This being a Court order, maybe it could help ?
secret.simon wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 4:17 pm
Do you have any known British half-siblings through your father? Alternatively, are you in touch with your British father's family, who may be OK with providing a DNA test? These are all options to look into.
I had not thought about that. Although I only have cousins, and we're not that close, so I would rather not have to ask something that intimate of them... They'd probably feel compelled to do it and it would all be really awkward
