United Kingdom - Passport & Nationality - British Citizenship by Double Descent (Crown Service in Newfoundland)

Watch this SHORT VIDEO on Crown Service and how a claim to British nationality can arise:

Listen to our RECENT WEBINAR where our two British nationality experts - Philip Gamble and Mishal Patel - discuss a family birth in Canada or Newfoundland and its implications for claims to British nationality in the modern day.

A claim for British nationality by double descent is available under this category where:

• a grandfather was born in the UK or Northern Ireland;
• the applicant was born after 01.01.1983;
• the relevant parent (whose father was born in the UK or Northern Ireland) was born in Newfoundland between 1 January 1934 and 22 May 1950; AND
• the grandfather was in Crown or Designated Service at the time of the relevant parent's birth.

What is Crown or Designated Service?

Up until recently, the Home Office had always maintained that Newfoundland was to be treated as an independent Commonwealth country for the purposes of the definition of "Crown Service" or "Designated Service". However, following some pioneering research by Philip Gamble that relied on the circumstances of its surrender of dominion status and ending self-government in exchange for British Royal Commission rule as a crown colony, the Home Office could no longer argue that Newfoundland was responsible for its external affairs. As a result, the definition of "Designated Service" now extends to include Newfoundland. 

It covers a wide definition of work undertaken outside of the UK and includes the:

• British Military
• Overseas Civil Service
• Colonial Service
• Diplomatic Corp
• Police and Defence forces
• Public Utilities (like power, water, gas, telecoms and mail)
• Public Railways
• Red Cross
• YMCA and YWCA
• Church Army
• Seamans Missions
• Teaching positions at Government schools; and
• Any work with the domestic colonial government in the territory.

It also covers employment by other international organsisations such as the Salvation Army. This is not an exhaustive list and there are numerous other scientific, defense, communication and international organisations that could lead to a successful application for British nationality.

In most cases, the recruitment must have occurred or initiated in the UK, but there are exceptions to this general rule. For example, management positions or those at officer level can be deemed to have been made from the UK.