geoffreyrg

Hello everyone,
My mother was born in Bermuda and lived on both the island and in the UK. When she moved to the States when she was 18, she kept her British citizenship and has a British passport. I was born in 1988 to an American father and my British mother and have all the paperwork ready for applying for my passport.

However, will my mother's birth on Bermuda have any impact on my British citizenship? I know that the laws have changed and now allow for the mother to pass on citizenship through birth but I am unsure if her status has any impact on me. Any sort of help would be greatly appreciated, as I am planning on studying abroad for 5 months in Europe and would like to take advantage of my dual citizenship while I am there.

And before I go, one last question! Bermuda has complex citizenship laws but I have heard you can get a Bermuda certification stamp on your UK passport. Does anyone know if the stamp can be provided at the same time of my passport?

To answer any questions beforehand,
-I currently have a US passport and was born in the US
-My mom married an American but retained her citizenship
-I have my birth certificate and my mom's marriage certificate showing my name and parent's nationalities
-I have a counter signatory ready to sign my photo
-I am 20 years old and turn 21 in August
-I plan to leave to Europe in early August

I look forward to all your help and thank you in advance!

IrmoBrit

Both mothers and fathers have been able to transmit British citizenship since 1983. From the information you've given, I believe you are a British Citizen by descent (as well as a British Overseas Territories Citizen by descent).

I don't know if my situation will affect you, but I am currently in the process of applying for a passport, having been born in Bermuda before 1983. My application was returned because my Bermuda birth certificate was issued too recently. I had to send "historical documentation" for additional proof of birth.

I don't believe the passport office will put the "Bermuda Status" stamp in your passport. To the best of my knowledge, this is only done at the Immigration department in Bermuda. However, are you sure you qualify? Bermuda is quite strict about who is and who isn't a Bermudian. Generally speaking, you must be born in Bermuda to at least one parent who was also born in Bermuda. Were either of your mother's parents born in Bermuda? If not, neither you nor her may hold Bermuda Status.

geoffreyrg

Thanks for the response. The main reason I was concerned with getting a UK passport is because my mother was born on the island and not in the UK. Her entire family has been living on the island for a few generations now and we have visited every couple years since I was born. I was afraid that might complicate things but thanks to you I think I am in the clear! I noticed that you said I am both a British Citizen and British Oversees Citizen.

Does this mean I could technically get multiple citizenships (US, UK, Bermuda) due to my family's extended presence on the island? Bermuda seems to be very vague with their laws in regards to people not born on the island and I was hoping if you might have the answer to that.

IrmoBrit

Unfortunately, I too am unclear on the status of people born off island. Apparently, some high status people with Bermuda Status have had children off island, and their children subsequently also had Bermuda Status, but I don't understand the law on the subject. Since I was born on the island, it doesn't really affect me.

Yes, in addition to being a British Citizen, you are also a British Overseas Territories Citizen (BOTC). The only benefit of this is the ability to get a BOTC passport. Frankly, however, I don't know that this is much of a benefit though, as a BOTC passport is not accepted as readily around the world as a British passport is. Also, the BOTC passport does not give you the automatic right of entry to the rest of the EU, as the British passport does.

JAJ

Your mother was (and is) a British Overseas Territories citizen, by birth.
You are a British Overseas Territories citizen by descent.

Your mother may already have been a British citizen, if any of her parents or grandparents were born in the United Kingdom.

On 21 May 2002, if not already British citizens, BOTCs connected with Bermuda became British citizens. Hence, you are a British citizen by descent.

In terms of passing on your British citizenship a generation further:
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Britis...hip_by_Descent


Bermuda doesn't have any citizenship laws!

The law about British Overseas Territories citizenship (BOTC) is a United Kingdom law and having BOTC does not, in itself, make you hold Bermudian status. And some people with Bermudian status do not hold BOTC.

"Bermudian status" is based on Bermuda's immigration laws.

You can read a copy of the Bermuda Immigration & Protection Act 1956 at:
http://www.laws.gov.bm/NXT/gateway.d...act%201956.pdf

(it may not be fully up to date but should give you a guide).

If you or your mother do have Bermudian status, you could apply to Bermuda for a BOTC passport. I believe you can hold both a British citizen and a Bermuda BOTC passport at the same time.

Did your mother become an American citizen? She can have dual citizenship, although she should check if becoming American would affect her Bermudian status, if she has it and if that is important.

You'll need to have your mother's birth certificate as well, and a copy of her British passport would help.

It's going to be tight to get your British passport on time. There are delays at the Embassy in Washington and people who apply for passports the first time as adults are often hassled about ID documentation.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Obtain...ports_overseas