partridge

Hi,

My wife is British and we live in the United states. I'm trying to puzzle out her citizenship because we have had a child here in the USA.

Now, my wife was born in 1975 to British (other than by descent) parents, in Germany whilst her father was deployed and actively serving in the British Armed forces. She believes it was at a military hospital,

Is she considered British by descent only, or other than by descent? Can she pass her British citizenship on to our children born outside of the UK?

She is of the opinion that since her parents were deployed her birth is the same as if it was on British soil, but I've been reading conflicting information regarding whether that changed in 1983 and whether or not that would be retroactive to her birth in 1975.

Thanks!

BritInParis

It’s likely that your wife is British otherwise than by descent. What rank was her father at the time of her birth?

partridge

I believe he was a corporal when she was born. Does that make a difference? It was in Rinteln hospital in West Germany.

BritInParis

She would be otherwise than by descent if her father was recruited in the UK. As an officer needs to go to one of the military colleges in the UK they are assumed to have been recruited in the UK. For other ranks you would need to provide evidence of where her father was enlisted. Typically the father’s service record would be sufficient.

partridge

I saw in an earlier thread that there may be a hiccup since she was born before 1983. Did they amend the law to make it retroactive?

BritInParis

No hiccup. The situation regarding Crown service was the same prior to 1983.

YJMalmsteen

Children born to UK military personnel with British citizenship (some are not) are registered with the local British consulates via the military admin services - as British Citizens. My son was born in Paderborn and we got a British birth certificate soon after.