Are my South African children eligible for a British Passport?
Jul 18th 2017, 5:54 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2
Are my South African children eligible for a British Passport?
Hi All,
I have right of abode with a British Passport. I have been in and out the country several times and have a NI number.
I was born in South Africa, married a South African and have 2 young children. We want to move to the UK to live and work.
I understand that I need to support my husband initially but can I apply for my children to have British passports through descent?
As I mentioned I was born in S.A., my mother was born and lived in UK.
Thank you for your advice and help.
I have right of abode with a British Passport. I have been in and out the country several times and have a NI number.
I was born in South Africa, married a South African and have 2 young children. We want to move to the UK to live and work.
I understand that I need to support my husband initially but can I apply for my children to have British passports through descent?
As I mentioned I was born in S.A., my mother was born and lived in UK.
Thank you for your advice and help.
Jul 18th 2017, 7:23 am
#2
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Not in Paris
Posts: 18,194
Re: Are my South African children eligible for a British Passport?
As a British citizen by descent then your children are not automatically entitled to British citizenship. If you lived in the UK for at least three consecutive years before the birth of your children then they would be eligible to be registered as British citizens by descent. If not then your children will need settlement visas. After three years of living in the UK together as a family you can register your children as British citizens. This would be preferable in the long term as they would be given British citizenship otherwise than by descent meaning they could automatically pass it on to their own children regardless of where they are born.
Jul 18th 2017, 7:28 am
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2
Re: Are my South African children eligible for a British Passport?
As a British citizen by descent then your children are not automatically entitled to British citizenship. If you lived in the UK for at least three consecutive years before the birth of your children then they would be eligible to be registered as British citizens by descent. If not then your children will need settlement visas. After three years of living in the UK together as a family you can register your children as British citizens. This would be preferable in the long term as they would be given British citizenship otherwise than by descent meaning they could automatically pass it on to their own children regardless of where they are born.
