This document provides background information about the history of nationality law and can be used in conjunction with guidance to assess citizensh...

The history of British nationality law falls into 4 periods, which are marked by key pieces of legislation before 1915 between 1915 and 1948 betwee...

The position at common lawBefore nationality legislation existed, there was a system of “Allegiance”. Feudal lords demanded the allegiance of their...

British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914The British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914 came into effect on 1 January 1915. It was l...

The British Nationality Act 1948The 1948 Act, which came into force on 1 January 1949, introduced the status of citizen of the UK and Colonies (CUK...

The British Nationality Act 1981The aim of the British Nationality Act 1981 was to create a new law which would give all existing CUKCs a citizensh...

Aden (South Yemen)Although the People’s Republic of Southern Yemen was formed on 30 November 1967, citizenship of the UK and Colonies (CUKC) was no...

This guidance tells nationality caseworkers how to consider whether an individual has an automatic claim to British citizenship.ContactsIf you have...

This page tells you about the different legislation that sets out when an individual will have a claim to British citizenship. The relevant bits of...

This section tells you about investigating claims to British citizenship.Evidence required to establish a claimTo establish a claim to British citi...

Under section 11(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981, a person automatically became a British citizen on 1 January 1983 if immediately before th...

This section tells you how to assess whether someone born, in the UK or a qualifying territory, on or after 1 January 1983 is a British citizen.Whe...

Information about whether an EEA national or their family members were considered to be settled in the UK at the time of a child’s birth can be fou...

Section 1(5) of the British Nationality Act 1981 as amended by the Adoption (Intercountry Aspects) Act 1999, the British Overseas Territories Act 2...

Under section 2(1)(a) of the British Nationality Act 1981, a person born outside of the UK on or after 1 January 1983 is a British citizen at birth...

This section tells you about how to establish whether an individual is able to pass British citizenship onto their children born outside of the UK....

Status letters are not certificates of nationality. They merely record UKVI’s opinion that a person possesses a form of British nationality. Only t...