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citizen otherwise than by descent.
A child born abroad to a British citizen who is in Crown Service, in the service of a European Community institution, or certain other types of service designated by Order in Council will be a British citizen whether or not the parent was born in the United Kingdom, and the child will be able to transmit citizen- ship to his or her own children on the same terms as a British
citizen born in the United Kingdom.
Acquisition by naturalisation or registration
British Dependent Territories citizens, British Overseas citi- zens, British subjects under the Act and British protected persons who have or become settled in the United Kingdom will be entitled to be registered as British citizens after five
years' residence here. British Dependent Territories citizens
from Gibraltar will have an entitlement to be registered as
British citizens without the need to be resident in the United
Kingdom. Certificates of naturalisation may be granted, at
the Home Secretary's discretion, to other Commonwealth citizens
and foreign nationals. The qualifications for naturalisation
are very similar to those at present. The husband or wife of a
British citizen will be able to apply after three years' resi-
dence here instead of the normal five. The Home Secretary also
has discretion to register any minor child as a British citizen.
Preserved entitlements to registration
Commonwealth citizens settled here before 1973 will continue to
have a right to be registered for five years after commencement
(or eight years in special cases). In the case of minors the
right of registration continues for five years after they reach
the age of eighteen. Commonwealth citizens with the right of
abode who are settled here at commencement will also continue to
have a right to registration for a limited period when they have been here for five years. Women who at commencement are married to citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who become British citizens will have their entitlement to registration preserved
for five years provided their marriage subsists. Where the
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