MarylandNed

OK - but the OP doesn't have a UK birth cert. So he'll need his own full birth cert (with full details of his parents) and also his UK citizen parent's UK birth cert. And unless he takes his mother with him, he'll be relating this story without her to back him up. You think maybe it might be easier for him just to get a UK passport?

There's a big difference between visiting the UK and moving to the UK to live/work/study.

My family and I (all UK citizens) have visited the UK often on non-UK passports e.g. Canadian and US. This is possible because the UK does not require that its citizens enter the UK on UK passports.

Years ago, my wife and I repatriated to the UK with 2 kids who were born in Canada. My wife and I entered on UK passports but the kids entered on Canadian passports - although they are UK citizens by descent, we had not obtained UK passports for them at that time. I was so wrapped up in other aspects of the move that I just didn't think about passports. I guess at the back of my head was the fact that the kids were UK citizens and had visited the UK before using Canadian passports. However, when moving to the UK permanently (as opposed to just visiting), you have to prove "right of abode". Luckily my kids were OK as we had enough other documentation to prove their "right of abode" (e.g. parents' UK passports, parents' marriage cert, full birth certs for the kids that gave full details of the parents). But certainly the safest and most worry-free way to do this is with a UK passport.

If you get to the UK and have enough documentation to prove you are a UK citizen, then you'll probably be OK. However, another possible hurdle is the airline. Depending on which airline and where you are flying from, you might have an issue getting on a plane to the UK (especially with a one-way ticket). The airline has to be convinced that you will be able to enter the UK without any issue. The same paperwork that might be acceptable to UK immigration might not be acceptable to the airline. This is also subjective - so even different airline employees may have a different take on what is and what isn't acceptable proof. In this case, a UK passport is the preferred option because it's universally accepted proof of UK citizenship.

So it's certainly possible for a UK citizen to repatriate to the UK on a foreign passport - but there are potential issues and you have to be comfortable with the risks (and different people have a different tolerance for risk). Again, visiting is completely different to repatriating.

Hawk13

Yup you're absolutely right. I got them for my daughters as it's the easiest.
But, I was just agreeing with Steve that it's not the only way if you get stuck in a jam.