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British citizenship for children
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 3:49 pm
by meyou5ick
Dear all,
Hope you are all well.
I was naturalised and got my citizenship few years back. I am now thinking of future and potential children.
My question is that do my children need to be born in UK for them to get British citizenship or are they still eligible if they are born abroad?
My wife is not British and we would like to have the children abroad due to more family support.
Please can someone guide on the process of citizenship/passport if we have children abroad and I am the only parent with British citizenship?
Thanks
Re: British citizenship for children
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 3:51 pm
by meself2
meyou5ick wrote: โMon Mar 06, 2023 3:49 pm
Please can someone guide on the process of citizenship/passport if we have children abroad and I am the only parent with British citizenship?
They're British by descent and can apply for a passport.
https://www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-br ... -july-2006
Youโre automatically a British citizen if you were born outside the UK and all of the following apply:
you were born on or after 1 July 2006
your mother or father was a British citizen when you were born
your British parent could pass on their citizenship to you
Keep in mind their children (your grandchildren) will not be eligible for citizenship that way.
Re: British citizenship for children
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 4:04 pm
by alterhase58
meyou5ick wrote: โMon Mar 06, 2023 3:49 pm
Please can someone guide on the process of citizenship/passport if we have children abroad and I am the only parent with British citizenship?
Note that children will be British automatically as you are a British citizen - no specific formality required.
You go straight for the British passport application. Note however that applications from abroad could take many months.
The child cannot enter the UK without a British passport or a foreign passport endorsed with a certificate of entitlement of Right of Abode (more expensive than a passport) - visas cannot be issued to British citizens.
Re: British citizenship for children
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 7:21 pm
by meyou5ick
Thank you so much for your quick input. I gathered the following based on my circumstances.
I (father) have British citizenship, my partner is not a British citizenship.
My child (not yet born) can have British citizenship automatically as he/she is born after 2006 based on - me having citizenship before his/her birth
- my partner not married to anyone else at his/her birth
- me acquiring citizenship by naturalisation
Thus, even if I have child abroad, I can apply for their passport directly at the consulate in whichever country I am. However, it might take months as opposed to applying from within UK. The child will not get visa (not really a rush) and will have to wait for months to get the passport.
Their children (my grandchildren) however will have to be born in UK to continue carrying British citizenship.
Is that all above correct? Please can someone verify. I write this back because I have cognitive learning limitations.
Appreciate your help, means a lot.

Re: British citizenship for children
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 7:37 pm
by AmazonianX
meyou5ick wrote: โMon Mar 06, 2023 7:21 pm
Thank you so much for your quick input. I gathered the following based on my circumstances.
I (father) have British citizenship, my partner is not a British citizenship.
My child (not yet born) can have British citizenship automatically as he/she is born after 2006 based on - me having citizenship before his/her birth
- my partner not married to anyone else at his/her birth
- me acquiring citizenship by naturalisation
Thus, even if I have child abroad, I can apply for their passport directly at the consulate in whichever country I am. However, it might take months as opposed to applying from within UK. The child will not get visa (not really a rush) and will have to wait for months to get the passport.
Their children (my grandchildren) however will have to be born in UK to continue carrying British citizenship.
Is that all above correct? Please can someone verify. I write this back because I have cognitive learning limitations.
Appreciate your help, means a lot.
Above correct as you rightly outlined above.
Re: British citizenship for children
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 9:21 pm
by alterhase58
Just to clarify, British consulates or embassies donโt deal with passport applications. You have to use the HMPO online application which can take months.
Re: British citizenship for children
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 10:30 am
by meyou5ick
Thank you for confirming it, appreciate it.
Also, thank you for confirming the procedure of online application. I was under the view that embassy does this.
Appreciate it