2025 Applying for British Citizenship
Apr 17th 2026 | 3:50 am
#16
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 25
Re: 2025 Applying for British Citizenship
Congrats. Unfortunately the Home Office has started assessing folks who can apply under other sections of the law on those sections. 4C confers citizenship by descent so there is no automatic passing of citizenship to any future children and only limited pathways for existing children (you would have to have spent nearly three continuous years in UK before they were born or they would have to have spend three years in UK before they turn(ed) 18). 4L confers citizenship other than by descent which means future children would be born British and existing minor children could be registered. A lot of experts believe the forced assessment under other sections of the law when one has applied under 4L is wrong but I haven't heard of anyone successfully fighting it yet. Your brother should apply under 4L/ARD but he will likely too will be assessed under 4C which will likely prevent him registering his minor daughter unless he lived in the UK for three years before she was born or she has lived three years there. If you brother did get citizenship via 4L he could register his daughter before she turns 18 irrespective of any time spent in UK.
Apr 17th 2026 | 12:52 pm
#17
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 18,799
From: Not in Paris
Re: 2025 Applying for British Citizenship
Good day everyone especially BritInParis who was extremelt helpful!!!
My application was successful!!!! THANK YOU!!!
This is the reply I received "Thank you for your application for British Citizenship under Section 4L of the British Nationality Act 1981.
Section 4L guidance states that “This provision is not intended to be an alternative to meeting the requirements for naturalisation or registration under another route.â€
Although you have applied for registration under section 4L, I have determined that you meet the requirement under section 4C of the British Nationality Act 1981 .
The 4C guidance states (on guide UKM) that you would meet the requirement under this section if:
My brother is now going to do his application and I am not sure if he should go the ARD route or the UKM route based on the HO response as he has 2 children a 16yr old daughter and 21yr son.
And should he apply for them at the same time he applies?
I would value your advise!!!
My application was successful!!!! THANK YOU!!!
This is the reply I received "Thank you for your application for British Citizenship under Section 4L of the British Nationality Act 1981.
Section 4L guidance states that “This provision is not intended to be an alternative to meeting the requirements for naturalisation or registration under another route.â€
Although you have applied for registration under section 4L, I have determined that you meet the requirement under section 4C of the British Nationality Act 1981 .
The 4C guidance states (on guide UKM) that you would meet the requirement under this section if:
- you mother was at the time of your birth, a citizen of the United Kingdom and colonies
My brother is now going to do his application and I am not sure if he should go the ARD route or the UKM route based on the HO response as he has 2 children a 16yr old daughter and 21yr son.
And should he apply for them at the same time he applies?
I would value your advise!!!
Apr 17th 2026 | 11:41 pm
#18
Thread Starter
Just Joined
Joined: May 2025
Posts: 12
From: South Africa
Re: 2025 Applying for British Citizenship
Congratulations and you are most welcome. As your brother has a child under 18 then he should also attempt to register under Section 4L using the same language you did as that would enable him to register his daughter in turn but Hadrian34857 is correct that he will likely be registered under Section 4C as well.
Should he submit his daughters application at the same time as his?
​​​​​​​What form must he fill in for her?
Apr 17th 2026 | 11:51 pm
#19
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 18,799
From: Not in Paris
Apr 19th 2026 | 11:54 am
#21
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 18,799
From: Not in Paris
Re: 2025 Applying for British Citizenship
Yes, he can apply with the same wording as you. He will most likely be registered under Section 4C but on the off-chance he is registered under Section 4L then he will be able to register his daughter in turn under Section 3(1) using Form MN1.
