Born in South Africa in 1989 and have two British grandparents- Am I eligible for British citizenship?

[Ingaevone]

Hello

I currently live in the UK on an Ancestry Visa. However, I would be interested to know if I am entitled to British citizenship by descent.

I was born in South Africa in 1989. My mother, born in South Africa in 1953, has British citizenship by descent as her father was born in the UK in 1920. My father was born in South Africa in 1949 and his mother was also British, having been born in the UK in 1927.

From my understanding, it used to be possible for people with British grandparents to claim British citizenship if they were registered with the British embassy within one year of their birth. I have read online that a recent change in eligibility for British citizenship through the mother’s line means that someone born before 1983 to a mother who is British by descent is entitled to British citizenship, as before 1983 women who were British by descent could not register their children with the British embassy within one year of their birth, as they did not have the ability to pass on British citizenship.

Are there any possible routes to British citizenship for someone with British grandparents born after 1983?

I have also read that you may be entitled to citizenship if your grandparent was in the Crown Service at the time of your parent’s birth. My grandfather was in the South African Air Force band at the time of my mother’s birth in 1953 and prior to that he was in the British Royal Marine Band.

Any help is much appreciated.

[secret.simon]

As I understand it, the ruling that you refer to (Advocate General for Scotland v Romein) applies to children born before 1983.

Before 1983, mothers could not pass on their British citizenship to their children and therefore they were generally not registered at the British Embassy after birth.

After 1983, mothers who were British citizens otherwise than by descent could pass their citizenship to their children on the same terms as British fathers with the same citizenship. Therefore the judgment does not apply to them.

As a general rule, British citizenship is restricted to one generation outside the UK, with the occasional exception (such as the one created by the judgement) of two generations.

Therefore, you are not eligible for British citizenship based on this judgment.