British citizenship for my kids
 

Hi everyone.

We are dual nationals and have lived in Oz or 20 years now. We have three kids who are all true blue ridgy didge ("Maarm, can Oi hev some wadder?" "You mean, mum, can I have some waTer" etc) and when we had the first we got her a UK passport straight away. The others, we haven't bothered, although I'd love for them to have the option to move there when they are older. They are 9,7 and 5.

My question is, should we just suck up the expense and get them the passports, even with Brexit and all that crap happening right now? And even though they won't ever use these ones? Do you think they'll change the rules?

Another consideration is, their dad has an Italian passport, so we could look to get them one too, it may prove more useful if they want to live in Europe in the future.

What have other forumites done?

Look forward to reading your thoughts.

Sam

PS: Mods, please move this thread if I've posted in the wrong place. Thanks

Re: British citizenship for my kids
 

My daughter has had a British Passport since she was a year old, we just thought better to have than to have not. She is 15 now in Year 10 at school and planning on going to Ireland when she finishes school at 17 for a couple of years, so the Passport will come in handy for that - and after two years there she could go to University and maybe avoid international student fees if she chooses.

Re: British citizenship for my kids
 

Thanks for sharing your experience, I can see that makes sense and I hadn't thought about the student fee element. Out of interest did you keep renewing her original UK passport of will you just renew it when she needs to use it?

Re: British citizenship for my kids
 

My eldest just got hers at 18 for her first overseas trip alone. The other two will get theirs when they need them.

Re: British citizenship for my kids
 

Yehp apply for ours as they show interest in extended time in the UK and or Europe.

So only 1 of our 4 at present holds a full UK passport, I expect the younger 2 (22 and 19) will get theirs within the next couple of years. The oldest aged 34 isn't interested in getting one until this stage, so probably never for her. All born here, and don't really identify with the UK at all.

Re: British citizenship for my kids
 

Providing dual citizenship for the kids is a real bonus for them - unless they seriously want to go into politics :rofl:

Re: British citizenship for my kids
 

I'd get them and suck up the cost if you can. There are so many variables as to what they'll do with their lives and having the choice of two or even three passports can't be a negative. My girls were born in the UK so had UK passports, they expired about seven years ago and we didn't bother renewing them. My eldest just did her and has gone travelling and working in the UK with no need for visas. I'll be doing the other three in the next month or so - or whenever I remember to get online and actually do it rather than talking about it. :lol:

Re: British citizenship for my kids
 

I think it's always going to be useful to have two nationalities and passports - and three if it's possible. Australia, UK and EU (Italy) - whyever not? Kids are going to grow up in an uncertain world, so the more flexibility they have, the better; and the expense per year isn't much, in the overall scheme of things.

Re: British citizenship for my kids
 

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. It seems it's worth it if only for them to have the option later. So on a practical note: does securing the passport now means they'll be able to get another whenever they like in the future (maybe not for 15 or more years) or will we need to keep them renewed and current? Interested to hear what other forumites have done.

Re: British citizenship for my kids
 

Haven't looked recently at the requirements, but its usually easiest to keep renewing - often means less paperwork required. With an Aus passport for instance I believe after a certain number of years (3/5?) has elapsed since expiry you have to apply for a new passport from scratch - that can cause all sorts of issues tracking down paperwork.

Re: British citizenship for my kids
 

I think you're mixing up being British citizens with holding British passports.

Assuming you are a UK/Australian Dual citizen and were born in the UK, your kids are already UK citizens. No need to register, pay any fees or anything. They are UK citizens and have been since the day they were born.

Whether or not you want them to also carry a UK passport is a different question - it will cost some money, there are forms to fill out etc. Probably not much point unless you are planning an extended trip to the UK or as others have noted when they are older and thinking about studying overseas.

Re: British citizenship for my kids
 

Just do it.

1. Britain could change the eligibility rules in the future or Australia could not allow dual citizenship in the future.

2. Avoid confrontation at UK immigration when you rock in on a British passport and your kids on Aussie passport. It happen to us.