Mike.the.Bike

My daughter was born in 1984; my then wife is a U.S. citizen while I am a British citizen. I now live back in England and my daughter wants to join me . I believe that she can just apply for a British passport as long as she submits an original sealed copy of her full U.S. Birth Certificate, my long-form British Birth Certificate and my British Passport Number.

My questions are:
1. Is what I stated above true?
2. Can the application be made in England (by me) assuming all paperwork is in order or must it be submitted from the U.S.?
3. Is any other documentation needed?
4. Should I have registered her birth in England first? (I know, hindsight is 20:20!).
5. Could she arrive here with a six-month stamp on her U.S. Passport and apply for her British Passport whilst in England?

Thank you in advance.
Michael

Englishmum

Yes, she is entitled to British citizenship:

http://www.britainusa.com/sections/a...=41001&a=25317

UK Passports are now very expensive (just as well they're valid for 10 years unlike some countries where they're only valid for 5 years!).

However, as your daughter is a US citizen she *must* leave and re-enter the US with her American passport. I don't think it's a good idea for her to apply for a British passport after arriving in the UK (although it can be done) as she would have entered the UK on her American passport - I don't know how long Americans get to stay in the UK as a tourist but she may have problems if questioned by Immigration officers at the airport as to why she's entering the UK and then says she's intending to stay with family members...

How is she going to prove that she is eligible to be UK citizen to the Immigration officers at the airport? It's not worth the risk of being deported or being regarded as an 'overstayer' (if she's going to be a few months in the UK) on her US passport, methinks.

I think the best option is for your daughter to apply for a British passport from the British Embassy in Washington DC. They're pretty quick at processing the applications if the forms are correctly completed. Personally I would use a courier service such as FedEx, DHL or UPS to mail your documents to your daughter in the US....fast and safe, wouldn't trust the Royal Mail LOL!

All the info and passport application form (which she can download to her printer) is here:

http://www.britainusa.com/sections/i...sp?i=10080&D=1

PS: Most UK/US dual nationals leave the US on their American passports and enter the UK with their British passports. They then re-enter the US with their American passports. It's absolutely fine to do this.

Mike.the.Bike

Thank you for your feedback.

My question about where she could apply is driven more by cost than any other desire - £72 in the U.K. versus $265 in the U.S.!! Something does not seem fair.

Elaine B.

Both my kids where born here in Canada and we are returning to the UK this summer so I have just applied for their British Passports I know the fee sucks but it's a small price to pay for peace of mind and at least you don't have to pay for some special VISA.

JAJ

1. Yes, if you are born in the U.K.
2. She needs to apply herself in the U.S.
3+4. She also ought to apply for a consular birth certificate (again at the Embassy).
5. No, as a general rule.

chicagojlo

The fee is to cover the cost of running the consulate. That includes all the times they have to go out to tell drunken Brits that they can't get them out of jail simply because they are British.