British passports for under 18’s
Apr 26th 2019, 8:01 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2018
Location: Cheltenham, U.K
Posts: 52
British passports for under 18’s
Hi All
I would love if someone could help me with some further information.
just some brief background. My husband is British by decent and has been back in the Uk for a year and a half. Myself and my daughters have joined him here on spouse and dependant visas. My girls are two and three.
I have heard and seen seen threads where children are able to obtain British passports if their parent who is British has been living in the country for over three years and if the children are under 18. How does this work?
Quite specifically, would my children qualify?
Tia for all the advice.
I would love if someone could help me with some further information.
just some brief background. My husband is British by decent and has been back in the Uk for a year and a half. Myself and my daughters have joined him here on spouse and dependant visas. My girls are two and three.
I have heard and seen seen threads where children are able to obtain British passports if their parent who is British has been living in the country for over three years and if the children are under 18. How does this work?
Quite specifically, would my children qualify?
Tia for all the advice.
Apr 26th 2019, 11:45 pm
#2
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Not in Paris
Posts: 18,194
Re: British passports for under 18’s
Once your children have spent three years in the UK with you and your husband then you can apply to register them as British citizens. If your husband spent at least three consecutive years in the UK before your children were born then they would be eligible to be registered now but even if that was the case I would wait until the three year mark as they would then be granted British citizenship otherwise than by descent so their children would be British regardless of where they were born. Registering them now would limit them to British citizenship by descent and their children would only be British if born in the UK (or if the other parent was British otherwise than by descent).
Apr 27th 2019, 8:55 am
#3
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2018
Location: Cheltenham, U.K
Posts: 52
Re: British passports for under 18’s
Once your children have spent three years in the UK with you and your husband then you can apply to register them as British citizens. If your husband spent at least three consecutive years in the UK before your children were born then they would be eligible to be registered now but even if that was the case I would wait until the three year mark as they would then be granted British citizenship otherwise than by descent so their children would be British regardless of where they were born. Registering them now would limit them to British citizenship by descent and their children would only be British if born in the UK (or if the other parent was British otherwise than by descent).
Thanks so much for the response!
From a timeline point of view we would have to still apply to renew their dependant visas but straight thereafter we would apply for passports, would we just abandon anything to do with their dependant visas thereafter?
My husband hasn’t lived in the UK for three years prior to their births so we would have to wait out the three years irrelevant.
Thanks again for for your response!!
Apr 27th 2019, 11:16 am
#4
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Not in Paris
Posts: 18,194
Re: British passports for under 18’s
Thanks so much for the response!
From a timeline point of view we would have to still apply to renew their dependant visas but straight thereafter we would apply for passports, would we just abandon anything to do with their dependant visas thereafter?
My husband hasn’t lived in the UK for three years prior to their births so we would have to wait out the three years irrelevant.
Thanks again for for your response!!
From a timeline point of view we would have to still apply to renew their dependant visas but straight thereafter we would apply for passports, would we just abandon anything to do with their dependant visas thereafter?
My husband hasn’t lived in the UK for three years prior to their births so we would have to wait out the three years irrelevant.
Thanks again for for your response!!
Apr 27th 2019, 12:02 pm
#5
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2018
Location: Cheltenham, U.K
Posts: 52
Re: British passports for under 18’s
Yes, unfortunately you would need to spend the money to renew their dependent visas at the same time as your spouse visa but another six months after that they would become eligible for registration as British citizens. As soon as they receive their registration certificates then their visas would become null and void and you would just need to obtain their British passports. The whole process is not cheap but when it comes to the five year mark you’ll only need to pay for your ILR so it does work out cheaper overall.
I think we we will definitely just renew and then apply then and get it done and dusted then.
Thanks for for all your advice!!
Apr 27th 2019, 1:01 pm
#6
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Not in Paris
Posts: 18,194
Re: British passports for under 18’s
You’re very welcome, come back and let us know how you get on.
