kiwi73

Ok, not sure if this is right place, but sure there will be someone who might have been through this. I was born in NZ in 1973, mum is english and dad a kiwi, I have a nz passport and want a dual nationality. apparently i am british by descent as my mum is british (born in uk) and i was born before 1983.
So does anyone know if I just apply for 'british by descent' or do I still need to go through the whole naturalisation process paying £1000 (nearly) as well? I have tried to ask the officials, but even they are conflicting!
hope someone can advise.
thanks

Bob

If you are British, by descent, just apply for your passport.

Mallory

You have to apply for British citizenship, and go through a citizenship ceremony. They have dropped the fee as it was discriminatory, Then you can apply for a passport. This applies to people born before 1983 whose mother was British.

Gozit

This. And your citizenship will still be by descent I believe. Can mods move this to MBTTUK forum so BritInParis/JAJ will see it and confirm?

BEVS

I am moving this over to the Moving Back to the UK forum. I will also tweak the title a little.

Thanks

kiwi73

thanks everyone

quoll

Just saw you are in Cambridgeshire - you can get your documents for the UKM process priority checked at one of the local offices (we went to Huntingdon with DH's application) - you take all your stuff and they check you've completed it all then you take your documents home with you. Then when you've been approved you do a citizenship ceremony at Shire Hall (with tea and biscuits) then you can apply for your passport.

JAJ

If already in the U.K. then it is possible that a Right of Abode stamp has been issued? (an NZ citizen pre-1983 with a U.K. born mother would normally be eligible). Which opens the possibility, after the residence and other requirements have been met, of applying for British citizenship by naturalisation? Which gives British citizenship otherwise than by descent.

There may be tax reasons (domicile, etc.) why someone may prefer not to acquire British citizenship this way, but at least it should be considered as an alternative to the UKM process?

Gozit

Yeah if you can apply by naturalisation - do it, then if you have kids born abroad they will be British too

pondhopper2014

Why would they need to do a citizenship ceremony for a passport? I'm half british before 1983 (though through my dad, mom is Canadian) - but they finally just processed it... Or do I have a ceremony to do when I get there?

Mallory

Because your father was British it makes you special!

Gozit

Yeah.
a. People born before 1983 to a british mother need to do the ceremony.
b.People born before/after 1983 to a British father do not.
c.People born after 1983 to a British mother also do not.

Category a requires an application for British citizenship and a ceremony, but cat. b and c people automatically acquire citizenship at birth - no action required. Provided the citizen parent is British otherwise than by descent of course