British citizenship · IAA-regulated advice
British Citizenship by Birth Advice in Birmingham & London
Born in the UK? You may be British automatically, or your child may be able to register. We check the dates and your parents’ status, confirm the right route and prepare the application, for a fixed fee agreed in writing.
Last checked 11 October 2026 · Reviewed by Vishal Gautam, IAA-regulated adviser
Overview
What is British citizenship by birth?
Since 1 January 1983, being born in the UK doesn’t on its own make you British. You’re British automatically if, when you were born, your mother or father was a British citizen or settled in the UK, for example with indefinite leave to remain or EU settled status. For births from 13 January 2010, a parent in the UK armed forces also counts.
If you’re British automatically, there’s nothing to apply for: you confirm it with a passport or a status letter. If you aren’t, a child can register later, when a parent becomes settled or British, or after living here for their first 10 years.
✓This is the right route if…
- You or your child were born in the UK
- A parent was British or settled in the UK at the time of the birth
- A parent has become settled or British since the birth, and your child is under 18
- Your child was born in the UK and has lived here for their first 10 years
→Look at another route if…
Quick check
Are you British by birth? Six questions, one minute
Answer honestly. Nothing is saved or sent: this is a general guide, not advice on your case.
Were you (or your child) born in the UK?For nationality law, the UK includes the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
If you were born in 1983 or later, was a parent British or settled in the UK when you were born?Settled means living here with no time limit on your stay, such as indefinite leave or EU settled status. Answer yes if you were born before 1983.
Was that status in place on the day of the birth, not granted afterwards?A time-limited visa doesn’t count. Pre-settled status counts only in limited cases.
If the British or settled parent is your father and you were born before 1 July 2006, was he married to your mother?Answer yes if it’s your mother, or if you were born later and your mother wasn’t married to someone else.
Do you have the full UK birth certificate, showing your parents’ names?A passport application for anyone born in the UK needs the full certificate.
Can you prove your parent’s status on the day of the birth?For example a British passport valid at the time, or indefinite leave shown in a passport, Home Office letter or eVisa.
Eligibility
British citizenship by birth requirements
What matters is where and when you were born, and your parents’ status on that day. If you weren’t British at birth, a registration route may be open.
Automatic citizenship at birth
- Born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983, when your mother or father was a British citizen or settled in the UK
- Settled means living in the UK with no time limit on your stay, such as indefinite leave to remain or EU settled status. An Irish citizen living in the UK also counts
- Born before 1 July 2006: a father counted only if he was married to your mother (or, in some cases, married her later)
- A child adopted through a UK court by a British citizen becomes British on the date of the adoption order
A parent on a time-limited visa, or a foreign diplomat, isn’t settled. Being here in breach of immigration laws doesn’t count either.
Parents from the EU, EEA or Switzerland
- Born 1983 to 1 October 2000: usually British if an EU or EEA parent was living in the UK with free movement rights
- Born 2 October 2000 to 29 April 2006: usually only if a parent had indefinite leave to remain
- Born 30 April 2006 to 30 June 2021: permanent residence (usually 5 years working, studying or self-sufficient here) or settled status counts
- Born from 1 July 2021: settled status counts, permanent residence doesn’t, and special rules apply if a parent applied to the EU Settlement Scheme by 30 June 2021
The answer can turn on what your parent was doing in the UK on the day you were born, so check before you apply for a passport.
Registering when a parent becomes settled or British
- Your child was born in the UK and wasn’t British at birth
- Since the birth, a parent has become British or settled (for example got indefinite leave or EU settled status), or joined the UK armed forces
- It’s an entitlement under section 1(3), as long as you apply before your child turns 18
- Children aged 10 or over must be of good character
Miss the 18th birthday and this route closes, though the 10-year route may still be open.
Registering after the first 10 years in the UK
- Your child was born in the UK and wasn’t British at birth
- They were away from the UK for no more than 90 days in each of their first 10 years
- The Home Office can treat extra absences as allowed in special circumstances
- Applicants aged 10 or over must be of good character
Your parents’ status doesn’t matter on this route: it’s about where the child lived. The form is Form T.
Born in the UK before 1983
- You’re usually British automatically if you were born in the UK before 1 January 1983
- Exceptions: your father was a diplomat of another country; your mother was, and you were born on or after 10 April 1968; or your father was an ‘enemy alien in occupation’ in the Channel Islands in the Second World War
- To get a passport, your full birth certificate is usually the main document
Born in a former British colony before 1983? Different rules apply, so ask us.
Documents
Citizenship by birth documents: the easy part
Most families can list the documents. The hard part is proving your parent’s status on the exact day of the birth, which may be years ago.
What everyone needs
- Your full UK birth certificate, showing your parents’ names
- A parent’s British passport or certificate, from the time of the birth
- Or proof of a parent’s settled status at the time, such as indefinite leave
- Your parents’ marriage certificate, if your claim relies on your father
- Proof your child lived in the UK, for the 10-year route
- Your current passport or identity document, if you have one
Plus certified translations of anything not in English or Welsh.
Costs & timeline
Citizenship by birth cost and processing time
If you’re British automatically, you only pay for a passport: £102 online for an adult, or £66.50 for a child. Registering a child costs £1,000, and most decisions are made within 6 months.
Registering a child born in the UK
| Child registration (Form MN1 or T)under 18; £130 more if the child turns 18 during the application | £1,000 |
| First British passport, child under 16online, applying in the UK | £66.50 |
| Registering a child, then their first passportbefore translations | £1,066.50 |
Home Office fees from the fees table in force from 8 October 2026 and GOV.UK; passport fees from GOV.UK, checked 11 October 2026. Already British? You pay only for a passport (adult £102, child £66.50, online) or a status letter (£489). Adults registering on the 10-year route pay £1,670 (£1,540 plus the £130 ceremony fee). A fee waiver may be possible for a child who can’t afford the registration fee. Our consultation fees →
Check the dates
Before you applyThe date of birth and your parents’ status on that day decide whether you’re already British.
Already British?
Passport, usually 3 weeksApply with the full birth certificate and proof of your parent’s status. You may be asked to attend an interview.
Not British at birth?
RegisterForm MN1 when a parent becomes settled or British (before 18), or Form T after the first 10 years. Then fingerprints and photo at an appointment.
Decision
Usually within 6 monthsSome take longer, and you’ll be told if so. A priority service, usually deciding within 30 working days, may be available.
Ceremony and passport
Ceremony if 18 or overAdults attend a citizenship ceremony. Then apply for a passport: you can’t travel on a citizenship certificate.
Avoid a refusal
Common citizenship by birth refusal reasons
Most problems come from timing and evidence, not from the law itself. These are the issues we check first.
Status granted after the birth
If your parent got indefinite leave or settled status after the birth, the child isn’t British automatically, but can usually register.
We check: the exact dates of the birth and of your parent’s grant.
Status that doesn’t count
A time-limited visa isn’t ‘settled’, and pre-settled status counts only in limited cases. EU permanent residence stopped counting on 1 July 2021.
We check: what your parent held on the day of the birth.
Unmarried father, before July 2006
Before 1 July 2006, a father counted only if married to the mother. The child may need to register on Form UKF.
We check: whether a claim can be made through either parent.
Missing the 18th birthday
Registration when a parent becomes settled or British must be applied for before the child turns 18.
We check: deadlines, and whether the 10-year route is still open.
Too many days away
On the 10-year route, more than 90 days abroad in any of the first 10 years is allowed only in special circumstances.
We check: travel year by year, and how to explain any extra days.
Good character from age 10
Applicants aged 10 or over must be of good character, so convictions and some immigration issues matter.
We check: anything that needs explaining, in confidence.
How we help
Our citizenship by birth services
Choose a one-off consultation, or let us handle your application from start to finish for a fixed fee.
Status check
We look at the date of birth and your parents’ status that day, and tell you whether you’re already British.
Evidence review
We check the documents that prove your parent’s status, or your child’s residence and absences.
Application
We prepare your child’s registration or your status letter request, with a cover letter that shows how you qualify.
Passport
Once citizenship is confirmed, we tell you what the passport application needs.
Our scope: we’re regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority at Level 1. There’s no right of appeal against a nationality decision. If you’re refused, we explain your options, and where your case needs a higher level of advice, we refer you to a solicitor or higher-level adviser.
FAQs
Citizenship by birth questions, answered
Is my baby British if they were born in the UK?
Only if, at the birth, you or the other parent was a British citizen or settled in the UK, or (for births from 13 January 2010) in the UK armed forces. If neither of you was, your baby isn’t British automatically, but can register later, for example when you get indefinite leave to remain.
We got indefinite leave after our child was born. What now?
Your child can register as a British citizen under section 1(3), as long as you apply before they turn 18. It isn’t automatic, so you need to apply. The fee is £1,000, and children aged 10 or over must be of good character.
Is my child British if I have pre-settled status?
Usually not, because pre-settled status has a time limit. GOV.UK says your child may already be British if, at the birth, you were from the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, were living here by 31 December 2020, and had 5 years’ continuous residence working, studying or self-sufficient. Once you get settled status, a child who isn’t British can usually register.
I was born in the UK before 1983. Am I British?
In almost all cases, yes. The exceptions are rare: mainly children of foreign diplomats, and children of enemy forces occupying the Channel Islands in the Second World War. You confirm it by applying for a passport with your full birth certificate.
How do I prove my child is British?
Apply for a British passport: for a child under 16 it costs £66.50 online. You’ll need the full UK birth certificate and proof of a parent’s British citizenship or settled status at the time of the birth. You can also ask the Home Office for a status letter, which costs £489.
Our child has lived here since birth, but we don’t have settled status. Can they register?
Possibly. A child born in the UK who spent no more than 90 days a year abroad in their first 10 years can register at any age from 10, whatever the parents’ status. The fee is £1,000 under 18, and the child must be of good character.
Will my child lose their other nationality?
Not because of UK law: the UK allows dual citizenship. Some countries don’t, so check with your other country’s embassy before you register your child.
How long does it take?
A UK passport usually takes 3 weeks from when HM Passport Office receives your documents, longer if it needs more information or an interview. Registration decisions usually take up to 6 months, and a priority service may be available.
Related routes
Other ways to British citizenship
Ready when you are
Birthright, sorted.
Book a consultation, or start with the free quick check on this page.