Dual Citizenship by Decent

[tickle]

Can anyone link me to the conditions relating to obtaining dual citizenship by decent? I've been googling all morning and haven't come up with anything good.

I did research it a while ago and have a feeling I don't fit the criteria, but thought it can't hurt to try.

Thanks. :)

[missie_mack]

Is this the info your looking for


A British citizen by descent is a person born outside the UK and is acquired if one or both parents are British citizens. This means that you cannot automatically pass on British citizenship to any child who is born abroad. You are a British citizen by descent if:

You are born outside the UK to a parent who was a British citizen at the time;
It does not matter whether the birth took place before or after 1 January 1983 as long as a child who was born before that date became a British citizen on that date;
On 31 December 1982, he or she was a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies through:
his or her own birth, or
a parent's or a grandparent's birth,
legal adoption
naturalisation
registration
You lived in the UK while a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies for five years at any time before 1 January 1983, and was not subject to restrictions under the immigration laws at the end of that five year period.
You are a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies by connection with the Falkland Islands and Dependencies (i.e. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands). :)

[Stargazer Lily]

Hi Tickle

I obtained my British Citizenship about 10years ago when I obtained my British Passport.
I applied through the British High Commission in Canberra - I contacted them for the application forms.

I was born here in Aus to British parents in 1977.
So I had to provide my Aus birth cert, my fathers British birth cert and my parents marriage cert.

ie. My father had to be British, and my parents had to be married at the time of my birth.

here's the passport application info from their website click (http://bhc.britaus.net/passports/passportsdefault.asp?id=46) it seems to spell out what you need to qualify

good luck

[tickle]

Thanks for the information. I'm sure others will find it useful too. :)

[Chickadee]

Tickle, in addition to dual citizenship by descent, you may want to look at the rules for 'Right to Abode'. DH qualified for that, but not for citizenship by descent because he did not become a British citizen by 1 January 1983 (2nd point in missie_mack's list). But he got right of abode by descent from his maternal grandfather.

Unless they've changed the rules, Right of abode enabled him to work in the UK without a separate work visa, enabled me to do the same as his spouse, and qualified him for government public health (ie medicare equivalent). If we had stayed in the UK a certain period of time he could apply for citizenship.

[tickle]

I saw that on a link earlier today Martha. I would be allowed to work there under those conditions. To be honest I don't actually want to be have the dual citizenship, but wanted to increase my chances of getting employment in Germany (which favours other EU citizens).

I think I've found another option anyway though. Thanks! :)