ozhappy981

Your children are British citizens by decent, i.e. they can apply for British passports (they have dual nationality, British and American). JAJ or someone else will be along later no doubt and post the link to the forms you need to download.

chriswinter

Thanks for the response, Ozhappy. Would you or someone have the link to the particular place on the UK govt site that has this definitive information? Thanks again!!

Mummy in the foothills

Does this help? http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/br...britishmother/

chriswinter

Thanks Mummy. I'm just thinking ahead a bit. One never knows what the future holds and is best to have as much good information at hand as possible.

JAJ

They're not British citizens and they don't have Right of Abode because they are US citizens (not Canadian, Australian, NZ etc - you need to be a Commonwealth country citizen to get ROA from a British mother).

HOWEVER, it appears they are entitled to apply for British citizenship if they wish.
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/br...britishmother/

No. The UK Ancestry Visa is not open to non-Commonwealth citizens.

However, if your children become British citizens and move to the UK, they can sponsor their own children to settle in the UK and become British citizens after a few years.

Out of interest, why have you not taken out US citizenship yourself, after so long in the USA. It is not recommended to remain a foreigner without having a very good reason.

chriswinter

Thank you JAJ for the info. It does appear that the children of British mothers can apply for UK citizenship, if the children were born before Jan. 1, 1983..of course which all my children were.
I also have another question, in regards to my 1/2 siblings (we all have the same British born mother). Would this rule hold true for my sibs, even though our British born mother is now deceased?

Re: US citizenship...I simply have had no interest in becoming a US Citizen, no rhyme or definitive reason. I have never been questioned in the US, nor have ever had any problems here in the US as a permanent resident all these years. Honestly, I sincerely doubt anyone in America would think me a 'foreigner' when I start speaking. I have a 'dyed in the wool' Chicago accent. Now if I went over to UK...you betcha someone would notice my accent and definitely think 'foreigner'. I went thru this when I lived in England back in the 60's. Wherever I went (including at my place of employment there)..as soon as I started speaking...I heard 'American' or 'Yank'. Should I ever return I would have to glue my birth certificate to my forehead..I'm sure!
As far as the citizenship thing or lack of...for me...so far, so good.

Rory22

Hi i wonder if anyone can give me any advise?

My name is Rory, my family and i moved to the states when i was 5 (i am now 22) we had green cards and were resisdents. Due to my father loosing his father his mother was on her own and we had to move back to look after her. as i was only 5/6 i didnt have much of a choice! and i was obviously to young to try move back there until now.

As i am now 22 i am desperate to move back there. i have lots of friends out there still who i visit quite alot. Ive researched on the net a little bit and seen i may be able to apply for a SB 1 visa? is this possible?

Any advice would eb greatly appricated.

Rory

creamern

This may help you I hope. IT is very confusing but I have been getting ready to do this myself as my Mother was a GI bride and born in London but all 3 of us children were born in the US with an American Father. Born between the years 1948-1959. Follow this link and also see to the right of that page the UKM guide.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/br...britishmother/

chriswinter

Thank you...I'll bookmark and save for future reference...

aes2253

Hi, I'm in the same situation, born in England, moved here in 1966, my 3 children were born between 1970 & 1978, father is American. They are British by descent, but I'm wondering if they can apply for a UK passport without registering as a British citizen

chriswinter

No...sincerely doubt that could happen. One holds a passport of a specific country, because one is a 'citizen' of that country. As I now have recently learned for myself...one does not lose their citizenship of one country, when applying for citizenship of the other. I'm a British citizen..I can become a US citizen and still retain my UK citizenship...same for your children, because they are born of a British mother who was born in the UK. They will keep their US citizenship, be UK citizens and carry both US & UK passports...that's an absolute plus in my book!! Am hoping my American adult children, will avail themselves of this opportunity.

aes2253

I totally agree with you, although I have no desire to become a US citizen, my children would like to be recognized as UK citizens (dual citizenship). My question (for anyone that maybe able to help me here) is because they were born before 1983, do they have to register as British citizens on form UKM before applying for their British passports?

creamern

My mother has been here since 1946 and was naturalized in 1955 I think so she has dual. She just got her gratis passport last year since they are free to anyone born before 1929 I think and she was born in 1928.

Yes I will have to register as a UK citizen before I can apply for a UK Passport. They can follow the guidelines in the UKM and apply and it will take about 3 months. Send all original documents such as Birth cert etc. Once they have their UK citizenship and after the ceremony they can apply for their passports.

http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/help-fo...w-to-apply/usa

I will be sending off my citizenship app in July and hopefully can then send off for my passport app by the end of the year.

aes2253

Thanks, I thought that they probably had to do that first, but now they can get going on it. One more question for you (as you are going to be applying soon) on the required documentation, the first item is your passport. My kids have never had a passport......how about you?

creamern

Yes I was on my Mother's at age 8 but then applied for one myself in 2004 when we went over to see relatives. First things first have them get their US passports first and then go from there. You never know when they might need that if something were to happen. Make sure you follow this guideline totally or they will kick it back. I have done a lot of inquiries over the past year getting all my ducks in a row and communicate with the British Consular in Orlando for his help. SO they need to get their US passports and then send in their app for UK along with your passport and all info asked for. I was told copies will be kicked back and everything needs to be original. I am living in Las Vegas so have to wait until July when I go home to FL to find my original birth cert! It will be found lolol. I am not sure if my older brother and sister will do this but it was great to find out that we can now.