If you were born in the United Kingdom or a qualifying territory
This page will help you decide if you are a British citizen because you were born in the United Kingdom or a qualifying territory.
If you were born in the United Kingdom before 1 January 1983
If you were born in the United Kingdom before 1 January 1983, you are almost certainly a British citizen. The only exception is if you were born to certain diplomatic staff of foreign missions who had diplomatic immunity.
If you were born in the United Kingdom on or after 1 January 1983
If you were born in the United Kingdom on or after 1 January 1983, you are a British citizen if at the time of your birth one of your parents was:
- a British citizen; or
- legally settled in the United Kingdom.
If you were born in a qualifying territory on or after 21 May 2002
If you were born in a qualifying territory, you are a British citizen if either your father or mother is a British citizen.
If neither parent is a British citizen, you will still be a British citizen if either your mother or your father was legally settled in the United Kingdom at the time of your birth.
If your parents are citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA)
If you were born in the United Kingdom on or after 1 January 1983 but before 2 October 2000, you are a British citizen if, at the time of your birth, either of your parents was an EEA citizen who was exercising Treaty rights under European Community (EC) law. This is because your parent's stay is regarded as having been free of a time limit under immigration laws.
Since 2 October 2000, EEA citizens who have a conditional right of residence in the United Kingdom (such as workers and business people) are not automatically regarded as free of a time limit under the immigration laws.
Between 2 October 2000 and 29 April 2006 EEA citizens would not be regarded as free of time limit under immigration laws until they had obtained indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom.
If you were born in the United Kingdom between 2 October 2002 and 29 April 2006 to parents who were EEA citizens, you will not be a British citizen unless one of your parents had been given indefinite leave to remain before the date of your birth. However, you may be able to register as a British citizen if one of your parents later gets indefinite leave to remain (see registering your child as a British citizen or subject).
Since 30 April 2006 EEA citizens are automatically considered free of a time limit under immigration rules after exercising Treaty rights for any continuous five-year period. After five years you will automatically receive permanent residence status. There is no longer a need to apply for indefinite leave to remain.
If you were born in the United Kingdom between on or after 30 April 2006 to parents who were EEA citizens, you will not be a British citizen unless one of your parents had permanent residence status before the date of your birth. However, you may be able to register as a British citizen if one of your parents later gets indefinite leave to remain (see registering your child as a British citizen or subject).
If you were born in the United Kingdom on or after 2 October 2000 to EEA citizens who had an unconditional right of residence under EC law, you are a British citizen. People with unconditional right of residence include those who are retired or who cannot work because of illness or disability.
If your parents are family members of citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA)
If your parents are family members of an EEA citizen who was exercising Treaty rights, they may have been settled in their own right when you were born in the United Kingdom. If they were not, you are a British citizen only if the EEA citizen who was exercising Treaty rights was settled at the time of your birth.
Swiss citizens
Since 1 June 2002, Swiss citizens and their family members have had similar residence rights to EEA citizens, and the information above will also apply to you if you were born in the United Kingdom on or after that date to a parent who is a Swiss citizen.
Before that date, Swiss citizens are not normally regarded as having been free of immigration time restrictions unless they had indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom.
If you were born in the United Kingdom to parents who are not British citizens and are not legally settled here
Even if you were born in the United Kingdom, you will not be a British citizen if neither of your parents was a British citizen or legally settled here at the time of your birth. This means you are not a British citizen if, at the time of your birth, your parents were in the country temporarily, had stayed on without permission, or had entered the country illegally and had not been given permission to stay here indefinitely.
See also
Terms explained
-
Legally settled
Living in the United Kingdom with permission to stay here permanently (this includes indefinite leave to remain).
-
Parent
A parent is the biological mother of a child, the biological father if he was married to the mother when the child was born or if he can prove paternity, or the adoptive mother or father of a child who has been legally adopted.
-
Qualifying territory
Qualifying territories are the British overseas territories that qualify under certain sections of the nationality rules. They are all of the British overseas territories except for the sovereign base areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
-
Settled
You are normally resident in the United Kingdom with no immigration restriction on the length of your stay. To be free of immigration restriction you must have the right of abode or indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom.
-
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are considered as part of the United Kingdom for nationality purposes, but have their own immigration laws and policies. The Channel Islands are not treated as part of the United Kingdom for value added tax (VAT) purposes.