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British Citizenship by Descent

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"My Mother was British. My Father was British. Do I qualify for a British Passport?" This is one of the most common questions faced in assessing British Nationality. We set out below the criteria and requirements to qualify for British Nationality by Descent and to a British Passport by Descent - that is, qualifying through a parent.

British Citizenship by Descent is based on birth outside of the United Kingdom to a parent who is British or was born in the UK. Your date of Birth and the status of your parent is crucial in determining whether that parent can pass British Nationality to you. As a general rule, you qualify as a British Citizenship by birth to a person who was British Other Than by Descent.

British Citizens (i.e. those who hold full British Nationality and the right to carry a British Passport) can be divided into two categories:

• British by Descent
• British Other Than by Descent

Being "British by Descent" is the less powerful. It does not give the right to automatically pass on British Nationality to one's children. It is a status achieved ONLY because your parent was British or born in the UK.

Being "British Other than by Descent" is the more powerful. It covers all those categories other than a British Citizen by Descent. With such a status, you can pass on British Nationality to your children, irrespective of where they are born.

Click here for more general rules on British Nationality.

The solutions that WhatPassport.com have discovered under this category are:

 

British Citizenship by Descent (1981-2-2)-Crown Service: Parent was British and working in UK Crown Service at the time of applicant's birth.

British Citizenship by Descent (Born before 1983): Applicant born outside of UK before 01.01.1983 to father who was British other than by Descent.

British Citizenship by Descent (PG-UKM2010): Applicant born outside of UK before 01.01.1983 to mother who was born in the UK or who was registered as a CUKC in a Commonwealth country before the applicant's birth. 

British Citizenship by Descent (1981-11): Conversion of any Citizen of the UK and Colonies (CUKC) who held Right of Abode.

British Citizenship by Descent (British Parent other than from Descent): Applicant born outside of UK to parent who was British other than by Descent at time of applicant's birth.