Curl

Hi There
So I am also trying to find a way to prove my Fathers Crown Service in Rhodesia at the time that I was born in order to confer British Citizenship to my two children, and apply for British passports for them. I do have a copy of a letter of discharge from PATU (branch of BSAP) issued to him when he was injured and could no longer undertake duties. And I have a picture of his Identity tag issued when he joined the unit. This is the only proof I have that he undertook Crown Service at the time of my birth. My question is, do you think that sending these documents along with the British passport application is enough proof of his crown service or do I need to get some kind of formal letter from the BSAP to this effect?

I am hesitant to just send it off and try, as it is expensive to apply and don't want to waste that fee if possible!
Thank you

Curl

No it isn't shown. He was a Field Reservist, Member of the PATU Branch of BSAP

Curl

My husband and I both have British Passports and have the two children, both under 18 who don't have British Passports. If they were not able to qualify for British Passports via Double Descent as above, How else would we be able to take our children to the UK?
Thank you

BritInParis

Does his discharge letter give his dates of service?

BritInParis

They would require settlement visas. If you and your husband are British citizens then they would be granted Indefinite Leave to Enter and be eligible to register as British citizens otherwise than by descent after the family has completed three years’ residence in the UK.

Curl

To your question about whether his Discharge letter shows dates of service...It unfortunately does not. Only Discharge date obviously.

Curl

Hi There
Could you please clarify for me if it makes a difference that My Father began his service in Rhodesia and was only a Field Reservist for the BSAP, as opposed to being somehow recruited from the UK or being in Full Service? He himself was a full British citizen, born and bred, who moved to Rhodesia around 1971-ish.

On another point. My husband has just reminded me that HIS grandfather was actually in Full BSAP Service in Rhodesia at the time of His birth. So would that count for our children (his great grand children)? And again the same issue of needing a document proving this, and how to obtain one?

Thank you

BritInParis

Crown service normally only works for ‘double descent’ if the person in question was recruited for that service in the UK. Rhodesia however has so many exceptions applied to it thanks to UDI amongst other things then this isn’t necessarily the case. A grandparent being in Crown service is only useful to children born after 1983.

Curl

Ok, so my children were both born after 1983. I was born in 1974 while my Father was involved with the Crown Service in question.

BritInParis

In that case you should forget about your husband’s grandfather and concentrate on your father.

Curl

Also, if I was registered at birth at the British Consulate in then Rhodesia, surely my citizenship is not by descent and should automatically pass to my children?

BritInParis

Registration wouldn’t change your status as the concept of ‘otherwise than by descent’ didn’t exist before 1983.

Curl

So does that mean I still need to find a way of proving the dates of my Fathers Crown Service? I Am still trying to get that but finding it very difficult.

BritInParis

If his service doesn’t appear on your birth certificate then yes.

Curl

Will keep working on it. Thanks