Bail234

Hi all

My husband of 21 years and I are Australian Citizens and I am also a British Citizen by descent. My husband also holds a British Passport but is a British Overseas Citizen, he was born in Zambia in the 70s. There may be a job opportunity in the UK. My question is if we apply for a spouse visa, I have read that for BOC, one of the privileges is that they are not subject to annual quotas nor sponsership? Does anyone know what this would mean, if anything in terms of a sponsored spouse visa...TIA

BritInParis

Just to clarify, your British passport states you are a British Citizen but your husband’s states he is a British Overseas Citizen and you both hold Australian passports?

Bail234

Hi BritinParis

Yes that's right. My mother was born in the UK and he was born in Zambia, no English born parents or grandparents.

BritInParis

Did you register as a British citizen?

Bail234

Hi yes lived in the UK for a few years

BritInParis

What’s the date and section on your certificate?

Bail234

Hi I am at work, will check later but I know it's NOT 6 (1), full history is I was born in South Africa, went over to the UK on an ancestry visa,then when the law changed that I could apply for citizenship based on mother's birth I got UK citizenship (2005, I think)thus changing my husband and children from ancestry to temp, and we moved to Australia in 2008. In hindsight should have stayed on Ancestry and then naturalised and then we would all have UK passports ? We lived in the UK for 6 years in total from 2002 to 2008. At the momment just researching our opitions, thanks for your help

Bail234

Section 4C April 2005

BritInParis

Yes, the smartest thing to do would be for you all to have stayed on the UK Ancestry visas until you gained ILR. Then you could have registered under S.4C and your husband and children could’ve naturalised and registered respectively directly afterwards.

As it stands you’ll likely need to sponsor your husband for a spouse visa.