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My stepfather plans to claim UK citizenship in the future as he was born in the UK in the 70s to non-British parents, so he has the right to claim it. I am his stepchild and was wondering if I can take up citizenship after him. Will my biological mother (his wife) have to naturalize as a UK citizen first, in order for me to claim citizenship? Or can I naturalize as a citizen right after him? Or will I have to be officially adopted by him? I am an adult. I am quite confused about this and Google searches are giving me mixed messages. Thanks.

I am his stepchild and was wondering if I can take up citizenship after him.

No you cannot. For the purposes of citizenship law, step parents are irrelevant. It has to be biological parents.

Will my biological mother (his wife) have to naturalize as a UK citizen first, in order for me to claim citizenship?

There is no automatic route to naturalise for your mother. She requires 5 years residence, probably on a spouse visa (2 x 2.5 year visas) before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (PR). Only then can she apply to naturalise as British meeting the same requirements that other migrants have to meet.

Or can I naturalize as a citizen right after him?

No, step parents are irrelevant in citizenship law.

Or will I have to be officially adopted by him? I am an adult.

Still doesn't give you an automatic route. As you are an adult, you don't even qualify if your mother comes on a spouse visa. You would have to find your own route to the UK and following the 5 year residence path to Indefinite Leave to Remain and then 12 months on Indefinite Leave to Remain before you can apply for citizenship if you meet all the requirements.

There is no automatic route to naturalise for your mother. She requires 5 years residence, probably on a spouse visa (2 x 2.5 year visas) before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (PR). Only then can she apply to naturalise as British meeting the same requirements that other migrants have to meet.

Hi! Thank you for your reply. So, if my mother become a UK citizen after the years of residence and ILR, can I then apply for citizenship?

cadaver29 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 25, 2024 6:18 pm

Hi! Thank you for your reply. So, if my mother become a UK citizen after the years of residence and ILR, can I then apply for citizenship?

No you cannot as you are an adult. Even for children under the age of 18 born abroad, they require residence and ILR before they can apply for citizenship.

There is no shortcut route for you unfortunately.

I see. Well, will I at least be able to live in the UK as a dependent of my parents? And if I do, will my living in the UK help me apply for an ILR and to eventually permanently settle there, then apply for citizenship?

I am looking into alternative immigration routes as well, but I was curious about this.

Well, will I at least be able to live in the UK as a dependent of my parents?

No, as you are an adult. Only children under 18 are able to come to the UK on dependent visas.

And if I do, will my living in the UK help me apply for an ILR and to eventually permanently settle there, then apply for citizenship?

Only if you come to the UK on a qualifying visa route, that you as an individual qualify for.

There is no shortcut route or easy route for adult children to come to the UK with their parents. Adult children have to find their own visa route they qualify for to come to the UK. Not all visa routes lead to ILR based on 5 years residence either.

A worker's visa is probably the only realistic option, depending on your skills/qualifications, subject to finding a sponsoring employer and pay levels. How are you/would you be a dependent of your parents? As said there are no shortcuts. What "alternative" routes are you looking at?

If you haven't started your immigration journey before your 18th birthday, you do not have any route based on your parents, even biological or adoptive parents. As CR001 has mentioned above, step-parents don't even come into the equation.

Your step-parent having British citizenship doesn't matter.

Keep in mind that even for him to sponsor your mother, there are quite high thresholds that need to be passed (an annual salary of at least £29,000 in the UK for a minimum of at least six months to a year, English language tests for your mother, etc).

British citizenship only allows the citizen themselves to live in the UK automatically, not the rest of their family, not even their spouse or their own non-British children.

alterhase58 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 25, 2024 7:26 pm

What "alternative" routes are you looking at?

I currently live in the UK on a post-study work visa. I graduated with a Master's in archaeology. But the job market is proving to be quite tough, especially in the heritage sector. And employees will only hire me if I earn 38k pounds or more a year.

Unless I get a job that is seeing Worker Shortage, I believe. "Archaeologist" is in the list of Worker shortage occupations. So maybe I should look harder for an archaeologist job... Do you have any advice regarding this? Thanks.

secret.simon wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 25, 2024 7:49 pm

British citizenship only allows the citizen themselves to live in the UK automatically, not the rest of their family, not even their spouse or their own non-British children.

I see. I didn't realize how difficult it was for spouses. Do you know why such a high salary threshold is placed for this route? Thank you for the information.

You should be aware that UK governments up to present have been trying to choke off immigration, mainly through high visa fees, high salary requirements, high Immigration Health Surcharges, leaving the EU, etc etc. There will be a new UK government after 4th July but none of the parties promise "to go soft" on immigration.

cadaver29 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 25, 2024 9:27 pm

secret.simon wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 25, 2024 7:49 pm

British citizenship only allows the citizen themselves to live in the UK automatically, not the rest of their family, not even their spouse or their own non-British children.

I see. I didn't realize how difficult it was for spouses. Do you know why such a high salary threshold is placed for this route? Thank you for the information.

One of the prongs of hostile environment policy by government birthed by Theresa May in 2012 while Home Secretary.