buckspazz

Hello,

As the title indicates, my father is actually the British ex-pat. He was born and raised in Lancashire. He emigrated to the U.S. more than 50 years ago. For employment purposes, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1960. A few years later, he married my American mother. I was born in the U.S. in 1968 and have lived in the U.S. for all but a few months of my life.

It has recently come to my attention that I might actually be a British citizen by descent. Can anyone here tell me if this is, in fact, true? I had assumed that because my dad became a naturalized American prior to my birth that I was somehow inelligible for British citizenship. What an amazing revelation it may be for me to embrace my potential dual citizenship with the United Kingdom at the age of 41! Any insight into this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Possibly British After All These Years

md95065

From what you say it appears that your father is a British citizen "other than by descent" (meaning that, since he was born in the UK, he is a British citizen "in his own right").

If that is the case then when you were born you became a British citizen "by descent" so, yes, as far as I know, you already are a British citizen.

Just Jenney

This should help you determine whether you are eligible for UK citizenship:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/br.../bornoverseas/

~ Jenney

Wooglin

The only part that might be a problem is your father's status when you were born. Assuming he did not renounce his British citizenship, you should be eligible for British citizenship I would think. I just recently obtained my citizenship as my mother was British, and I was born between 1961 and 1983. I qualified through the UKM classification (Persons born to British Mothers). Good luck with the process! It took me only 2 months to complete the paperwork and get approved. You best bet would be to contact the British Embassy in Washington or call the Citizenship office in Liverpool. The number for the Liverpool office is 011 44 151 672 5626 if you are calling from the USA or Canada.
The only hassle is getting the original birth certificate of your father if you cannot find it. You will need the original or obtain another copy from the UK. My mother and I had to apply to get her certificate from Scotland. We were able to do this online! An expired UK passport of my mother's was also submitted to assist in her identification as a British Citizen.

buckspazz

Thank you all for your responses. After reading your messages and included links I was still unable to determine if the fact that my father had become a "naturalized American" prior to my birth had any bearing on my claims to British citizenship. So, as per Wooglin's advice, I've called and inquired at the British embassy in Washington D.C. The woman there told me that the naturalization process did not strip my father of his British citizenship and that I am, in fact, a British citizen - HURRAH! She told me that I can now apply for my first British passport.

Needless to say, I am quite pleased to learn (after all these years) that I am legally British. My dad was equally pleased to learn that his children are recognized British citizens. Even after 50 years in the U.S., he still feels more at home in England than in America.

Cheers!

Wooglin

Great news! ( Now you can go to the other threads about how slow the UK passport office in Washington is!! ) Congratulations!

franc111s

And the fact it costs what, nearly $400 now?

Wooglin

My Passport costs:

$224 US initial cost
$13 CDN for photos
$35 CDN to send UPS to Washington from Canada

Plus about $70 in long distance and Careline fees to find out where the heck my passport is!!!!!

Finally getting my passport (whenever that happens..) .......Priceless!!

PS. Franc111s, I love marmite too!

JAJ

Correct - although it was different before 1949.

Correct - but your own children don't get British citizenship based on you. Unless you move to the UK with them.

buckspazz

This has all been news to both me and my father. He has been under the mistaken impression (for over 40 years!) that he was no longer a British citizen once he became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

When I was younger I used to ask my dad why he didn't have dual citizenship and he used to say that it wasn't an option when he became naturalized in the 1960's. I guess he really has been a de facto dual citizen with a lapsed British passport for the last four decades!

I realize that were I to have any children that they would have no claims to British citizenship unless I were to move to the U.K. with them.

Nevertheless, I am still surprised and pleased to learn that I am and have been a British citizen since my birth.

JAJ

As pointed out, British law changed on 1 January 1949, which was relatively recent from the point of view of the 1960s.