TNAG-2976-FCO40-1245-Effect-of-the-UK-nationality-laws-on-Dependent-Territories-B-1981 — Page 5

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British Nationality

Clause 4 and Schedule 1 provide for the grant of certificates of naturalisation as a British citizen at the discretion of the Secre- tary of State to persons who meet the requirements specified in Schedule 1. There are special arrangements for persons who are married to British citizens.

Clause 5 preserves for two years the right to registration held by those Commonwealth citizens who were settled here before 1973 and who have remained so; and by those Commonwealth citizens who are settled here with the right of abode at commence- ment.

Clause 6 preserves for two years the right to registration held by the wives of citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who become British citizens provided the marriage subsists. Where the marriage has ceased registration is at the Secretary of State's discretion.

Clause 7 provides an entitlement to registration as a British citizen for a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies, a British subject or a British protected person settled here at com. mencement, on completion of five years' ordinary residence. The provision will lapse in six years with provision to accept later applications at the discretion of the Secretary of State for a further two years.

Clause 8 provides that persons who have renounced citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies and have the right to resume it under the British Nationality Act 1964 will be entitled to be registered as British citizens if the connections which give them that right are with the United Kingdom.

Acquisition at commencement

Clause 9 provides for British citizenship to be acquired auto- matically by all those citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who have the right of abode here at commencement, with the exception of those formerly stateless persons who were registered under the British Nationality (No. 2) Act 1964 by virtue of their mother's citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies, who will become British citizens only if their mothers do or would have done, or if they are themselves qualified by residence in the United Kingdom. Persons registered under section 12(6) of the British Nationality Act 1948 will also become British citizens if the ancestral connection on which they relied for registration was with the United Kingdom.

Renunciation and resumption

Clause 10 enables a person to renounce his British citizenship if he has another nationality or citizenship or expects to acquire another nationality or citizenship.