lwoolf

Hi ~

I have honestly searched the site up and down, can't find this part out.

I was born in 1979 in California, US citizen, mother is from USA, Dad left England when he was 22, immigrated to New Zealand, but as far as I know, he didn't renounce his UK citizenship, only let his passport expire. He was born there, along with all the grandparents etc.

I have marriage certificates, but it occurred in the USA, was not registered with UK officials.

To add fun to the sittuation, I don't believe the marriage was registered with the California registry, but was performed by a legal minister, and witnessed by a notary republic, and stamped.

When I asked a lawyer, he said that it could be taken to a judge and witnessed in retro, costing $400 or something. This is hilarious because they have been legally divorced in a court for 20 years in the state of California.

In any case, any help would be greatly appreciated.

I am a broke student, may be applying to PhD programs in the UK, and don't want to throw money at the application, or the court process if it is just an empty hole, but would love to visit family, attend school and work in UK.

Thanks

ian-mstm

What is it, exactly, that you want? You've told us a story, but haven't asked a single question. Are you trying to prove you're a US citizen... or a UK citizen?


Well, I guess it all comes down to how much you want this sorted out! I suggest you find some money!

Ian

Elvira

The clue is in the 'UK eligible', methinks...

I would advise the OP to post 2 more times and then drop a PM to our dear Consul......... what's his name again?

He has been extremely helpful in the past!

meauxna

Why not just look him up and call him? No need to make dummy posts; Dean's contact info is in his profile.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/member.php?u=93085

ex_exile

Where were you born?

lwoolf

Alright, you guys are feisty. No smiley faces or nothing. Let's see

What is an OP, or PM ?

Whoever this is, I will try to pose them the question.

Other questions: Seems obvious from the post to me, but I am try to immigrate to UK for school. Born in California, raised between here and New Zealand. Here's an added detail I left out. I have New Zealand citizenship. Greedy guts ? Just love traveling and if I get the chance, I would take a passport to fortress Europe. Also, money response. My poinnt was that I didn't want to waste it. If I need to pull $600- $1000 up to get through, I can manage it, but don't want to do the steps in the wrong order and find out I wasted the $400, or that I wasted the application fee and need to go back, spend the $400, then the application fee again. I definitely don't want to do this if it means in the end that I will be turned down because the marriage was only recently recognized. Convoluted stuff.

Again, my thanks for your help.


PPS:

OK, I get it know, and mythird message is waiting for review by a moderator so I can contact MO.
From the Brit consul website looks like they contract to a commercial firm for $12 phone calls. Not too bad, but I'll see if I get any love from you lot first. :-)

Elvira

It's pretty clear from his profile, kindly posted by Mo:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/member.php?u=93085

As I said, he has always been very helpful...

lwoolf

Ok, I get the three messages part now. Hope this counts as the third, so I can contact British Consul (http://britishexpats.com/forum/member.php?u=93085).

Looks like the referred comercial site for help is $3, or $12 for flat fee. Seems a no brainer to pay the $12, but I'll see if I get any love from you lot first.

Silverdragon102

If hoping to go to school cheaper in the UK then there is if I remember rightly a residency time-scale to qualify for cheaper fees.

ian-mstm

OP = original poster/post = you!
PM = private message!

Just an FYI... this forum is really for helping people get to the US, not the UK. Perhaps a different forum might get you more love!

Can you not get the UK equivalent of a student visa to study?

Ian

meauxna

OP = Original Poster aka you.
PM = Private Message, looks like you figured that out.

I moved you to the correct forum; maybe you'll get more replies here.

ex_exile

If your father was a British born British citizen and his name is on your Birth certificate I don't see how you would not be entitled to British citizenship. He would not have had to renounce his citizenship to become a New Zealander.

lwoolf

Thank you. My bad. I wrote Mo with all details. It has already been helpful. Sorry for my posting in the wrong spot. I think the most difficult part may be proving that my parents were married when the marriage wasn't registered officially, though it was legally binding.
Thanks again everyone. Any further info greatfully recieved.

lapin_windstar

1) IIRC, and check for yourself, you have to be a UK resident for two years prior to entering university to get charged "domestic" fees rather than UK fees. Citizenship alone isn't enough to qualify.

2) You can put this down to me feeling a bit nasty and sarcastic tonight, but doesn't doing a PhD involve performing original research? So where do you think you might find accurate, reliable information about UK citizenship requirements? How about on the website of the British government agency that deals with citizenship? http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/br...p/eligibility/ I found this by googling "british citizenship"

3) AFAICS (and I am not a lawyer or consular official), you already are a British citizen if you are a "legimate" (hateful word) pre-83 son of a British citizen. Just apply for a passport (right?).

4) I doubt that anyone is intimately familiar with Californian marriage certificates from the early 1980s. If it's not registered with CA - don't tell them, just send them what you have. It's not obligatory to register marriages with the UK consular service by any means. http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/br...ship/applying/

JAJ

I thought it was 3 years.

Eligibility is going to hinge on parents being married. I have never heard of a valid marriage without a formal registration, but if California law does allow this, then the United Kingdom should normally recognise it. But don't expect a British passport officer to believe that without some explanation of California law.

If it turns out the parents were not married then there's no eligibility for a British passport (unless in some circumstances, parents marry now) but there should still be eligibility for an Ancestry Visa in a New Zealand passport. Ancestry Visa links do not require "legitimacy". http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk

Ancestry Visa is for working in Britain, however, not studying. However if you go to Britain to work, and get permanent residence, you can then study. Part time study is also acceptable.

Also, regarding NZ citizenship:
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/New_Ze...hip_by_Descent