Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

Hi,

My biological grandfather was stationed in the United States from London with BP in 1976. My birth mother gave birth to me here in America and I was adopted into an American family. I have a birth certificate with her name on it but it is marked as not legal since a new birth certificate has been given. There is a number on it that matches my now legal birth certificate. Am I eligible for dual citizenship through descent with this? Thank you

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

We’ll need more details to help you but be aware that British citizenship normally only passes down to the first generation born abroad.

Am I correct in assuming your grandfather born in the UK and your grandmother was born in the US? Were they married? What was your grandfather’s occupation at the time of your biological mother’s birth? What year was your mother born? I’m assuming she wasn’t married to your biological father? What year were you born?

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

Thank you for getting back to me. My birth mother was born in London in 1960. She was 16 when she had me in United States living with her parents, both British, stationed in America with British petroleum for a just a couple years before they all moved back to London. I was born here in 1976 and adopted into a family with American parents.
So it sounds like I’m eligible but I’m not sure if my birth certificate with her name on it would be usable since it says not able for legal use. If you think they will use that what else will I need to prove she is my biological mother? I have her birth certificate but I do not have contact with her for more documents.

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

If your mother was born in the UK and you were born in the US prior to 1983 then you are eligible for registration as a British citizen. Your subsequent adoption doesn’t affect your claim. The application is free but you’ll need to pay £80 towards the costs of your citizenship ceremony should your application be successful. In order to apply you’ll need your birth mother’s full birth certificate - which you can order from the General Register Office - and your full birth certificate showing your birth mother. Your problem is that, as you noted, US adoptees have their birth certificates reissued with their adoptive parents’ details as if they were their birth parents. I would supply both certificates as the Home Office will be aware of the issue. You should also provide evidence of any other name changes you may have had, e.g. marriage certificate(s), divorce papers (decree absolute), etc..

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

Oh that’s great news! Thank you. To clarify, is this the YKM application? I thought it would cost me £1,330 to get citizenship?

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

Form UKM, yes. No, just £80 plus the cost of your first passport, which will be about the same again.

GRO: https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/

UKM: https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/product/nationality-ukm

HMPO: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

That’s absolutely amazing! My partner is in Scotland and we thought we were going to have to do the spousal visa. So this makes it much easier for us to be together. Thank you for answering my questions.

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

No problem. Just bear in mind that your circumstances are not straightforward and everything is going slower at the moment due to Covid so it may take longer than normal for your application to be processed.

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

Yes, I was thinking it would be around 9 months or so. One more thing I thought of is will I need to prove my birth mothers citizenship? Will her birth certificate be enough or will they ask for more documents on that? If so can I get her citizenship certificate somewhere?

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

Her birth certificate is enough; she won’t have a citizenship certificate as she was British by birth. You can order a certified copy from the General Register Office at the link above.

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

Thank you, I received her birth certificate a few years ago when I was trying to get in contact with her, which she did not want. I will start the UKM today and hope for the best! Thank you again

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

No worries. Providing you have your mother’s full birth certificate (lists her parents’ details) then you should be good to go.

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

Yep, it sure does. Has her parents name and says 9 casements H.M. Tower of London after both of their names. I think that means they were born in London too? Her birth certificate says she was born in North Southwark.
I got my application in yesterday and now I’m just getting my paperwork ready to mail in. I’ll let you know what they decide months from now

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

Sounds like your grandparents lived in the Tower of London when your mother was born. That would suggest that they were staff or serving in the military; it’s even possibly your grandfather was a Beefeater.

Re: Dual citizenship by descent after adoption
 

Oh wow! Thank you for explaining that. I have been trying to figure out what that meant for a long time. He was a structural engineer so maybe working on the tower. Well I obviously have British ancestry if my family was able to live in the Tower of London. Haha. Thank you again.