British citizenship for South African born child.
 

Hello!

My partner is British and has a daughter who was born in South Africa in 2010. She currently holds a South African passport. When she was born, my partner and his ex wife(South African) were advised that thier daughter could not have a British passport as she was born after a certain date.

We are exploring the possibility of K coming to live in the UK without mum for a while and wondered how we might do this. It seems quite difficult to gain any information from the South African side, so I'm starting research this side of the water.

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

If the mother was a British Citizen otherwise than by descent, then the daughter is ALREADY a British Citizen, and just needs to get a passport, who ever advised your partner was an idiot and got it totally wrong.

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

I'm afraid mum is SA and dad (my partner) is British.

Does that change things?

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

The child's father is British, her mother is South African, per the OP's post. I don't know if this makes any difference. Both my kids were born in SA (1982 and 1985) but we are both British citizens.

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

Sorry, misread your first post, if you partner is British otherwise than by descent, then his daughter will already be a British Citizen and just needs to get a British Passport.

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

How do we prove she is a British citizen? Currently she holds a SA passport and we apply for visas every time she come to the UK. We were told when registering the birth in Pretoria that she couldn't be British as the laws had changed some time in the 80's.

It would be amazing if we could just apply for a British passport for her!

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

You haven't answered the critical question. Was the child's father born in the UK?

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

I'm sorry. I thought I said originally that he is British. Should have been clearer...born in UK, whole family born in UK.

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

Then his daughter is already a UK citizen by descent. Apply for her British passport. Job's a good'un.

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

Really?! How exciting. So I presume we need her full birth cert, thier marriage cert and partners birth cert?

How strange that they were told the law has changed and because K was born in 2010, she couldn't have an English passport.

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

Whoever told you that is an idiot,

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

Thank you so much everyone. This is very exciting and makes life a whole lot easier!

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

Re: British citizenship for South African born child.
 

Bonusmum, they are not issuing English passports yet. Maybe one day ! The passport will say "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".