United Kingdom - Passport & Nationality - NEW - British Citizenship by Double Descent (UKM CBR post 82 Ireland)
Legislation was passed in 2002 to address the unfairness that those born after 1982 but before 1 January 1988 to British mothers could not acquire British Nationality. However, elements of gender discrimination still existed. Those who were born to a British mother who was not born in the UK could not take advantage of the various double descent provisions of the earlier law that were available to those born to a British man. A recent Supreme Court Judgement in the UK has made it clear that it is unlawful for the UK Government to impose a requirement from the past on new applicants for citizenship where it was not lawfully possible for that requirement to be met at the time.
That's the theory, anyway. In practical terms (though there are circumstances where these won't apply), this should benefit those in the following situation:
a) born in a foreign country (which includes South Africa, the United States and most European countries);
b) born between 1 January 1983 and 31 December 1987;
c) parents were married before 31 December 1983;
d) a maternal grandfparent (i.e. a parent of their mother) was born in Ireland before it's independence as a free state in 1922; AND
e) a paternal grandfather born in the UK.