BRITISH CITIZENSHIP
All citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who have the
right of abode will acquire British citizenship automatically at commencement, with the exception of those mentioned in the footnote.
Acquisition by birth
A child born in the United Kingdom after commencement will be
a British citizen automatically at birth if either his father or
his mother is a British citizen or is settled here. A child
adopted by a British citizen by court order made in the United Kingdom will be a British citizen, as will a foundling. A child born here who does not acquire British citizenship at birth will have an entitlement to be registered as a British citizen if either parent later becomes a British citizen or becomes settled.
The child will also have an entitlement to registration if he spends the first 10 years of his life here.
Acquisition by descent
A child born abroad after commencement will be a British
citizen by descent if either his father or his mother is a British citizen otherwise than by descent, e.g. if he or she was born, adopted, or naturalised in the United Kingdom or was registered on the basis of previous residence in the United Kingdom. A child born abroad to a British citizen by descent will be entitled to be registered as a British citizen by descent if application is made within 12 months of the birth and the parent is (a) born to a British citizen born, adopted, naturalised or (generally speaking) registered in the United Kingdom, and (b) has spent 3
Footnote:
A stateless person who has been registered as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies by virtue of his mother's citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies will acquire whichever of the 3 new citizenships his mother does. So those persons who have the right of abode only through their registration but whose mothers become citizens of the British Dependent Territories or British Overseas citizens will not become British
citizens.
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