Old.Boy

Hi

Reading lots of different things and getting a bit bamboozled.

Father (Me) - Born in the UK
Mother - Born in the US
We are not married.

I have not lived in the US, though have visited several times. Mother has not lived in the UK, visited once. We have a daughter together, who is now 8 years old (DOB March 10th, 2006).

Daughter - Born in the US (Mother and I named on US birth certificate). Daughter will be coming to live with me from January for 6 months. How do I get her dual citizenship so that I can get everything sorted for school, Doctors etc (She had ADHD so will need prescription filled etc).

Thanks in advance for any help/guidance you provide.

BritInParis

Unfortunately unmarried fathers can’t pass on their British citizenship to any child born outside the UK before 1 July 2006. The law concerning this issue has recently changed, allowing you to register your daughter as a British citizen with the Home Office, except the amendment has yet to commence and no commencement date has been set.

If your daughter is only visiting for six months then a Child Visitor visa might be an option although this is likely to preclude your daughter from accessing the NHS free of charge.

If you or your daughter's mother hold any other European citizenships or have recent European ancestry (such as an Irish-born parent) then your daughter may be eligible for another passport which would allow her to live in the UK without restriction.

SanDiegogirl

Without the British passport and the visitor stamp you are also likely to come
across problems getting her into school for just 6 months.

Residents have problems getting their permanently resident children into schools in some areas because of overcrowding, so your child, just visiting for six months, is likely to be at the end of the line. Have you researched the situation in your own area?

What does her US school think about her being removed from school for 6 months?

JAJ

The daughter can be registered as British under current law/policy.
https://www.gov.uk/government/upload..._June_2014.pdf

Page 12, regarding discretionary registration under section 3(1) of the Act for children under 18. Discretion would normally be exercised in the circumstances outlined.

Even with daughter having a British passport, it would be worthwhile to have documentation of mother's approval for her to spend so much time in the U.K.

BritInParis

Indeed, Section 3(1) is also an option in this scenario as the person concerned is under 18, although time is running out for the OP's daughter to be registered and a passport obtained in time to arrive in the UK in January to start schooling.