The key considerations of being a British citizen are when you were born and where your birth took place.<\/p>\n
In fact, the circumstances of your parents can also be a determining factor. There are ways to check if you are a British citizen if you are uncertain.<\/p>\n
In some cases, you may also apply to:<\/p>\n
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Were you were born in the United Kingdom or a British colony before the 1st of January 1983? If so, you would have become a British citizen on the 1st of January 1983 if both of these apply:<\/p>\n
It would also apply to people who:<\/p>\n
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Note<\/strong>: The rules that determine United Kingdom nationality changed in 1983. Being born in the United Kingdom on or after the 1st of January 1983 does not ‘automatically’ grant British citizenship.<\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: Foreign nationals who have lived in the UK can use Form NQ<\/a> to apply for confirmation that they have not gained British citizenship.<\/p>\n Were you were born in the United Kingdom on or after the 1st of January 1983? If so, you will be a British citizen if, when you were born, your mother or your father was (either):<\/p>\n Being ‘settled’ refers to someone who can stay in the UK without any time restrictions. Thus, it would also apply to people who have any of the following:<\/p>\n In short, it is most likely that you are a British citizen if your mother or father was born or naturalised in the UK at the time of your birth.<\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: Were you born before July 2006? If so, in most cases the British nationality of your father will only pass to you if your mother and father were married at the time of your birth. You can read through further rules of British citizenship<\/a> for other cases with complex circumstances.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n You might still have British citizenship even if you were born outside the UK. As a rule, it depends on where and when you were born, or the circumstances of your parents. There are ways to check if you are a British citizen<\/a> if you remain uncertain.<\/p>\n As a foreign national, or a Commonwealth citizen, you do not get automatic citizenship by living in the United Kingdom. But, you can check if you can apply to become a British citizen<\/a> by other means (e.g. by naturalisation or registering).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n It can happen that you are not recognised as a citizen of any country. In this case, you would be a British citizen if both of these apply to your situation:<\/p>\n It may be possible for you to register as a British citizen even if these do not apply to your situation. Check to see if you can apply for citizenship<\/a> if you are stateless (not recognised as a citizen of any country).<\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: You can use Form NR<\/a> to ask UK Visas and Immigration to review its decision to refuse your application for British citizenship.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
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\nBorn Outside of the United Kingdom<\/h2>\n
\nWhat Happens if You are Stateless<\/h2>\n
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