Apply for citizenship if you have a British parent

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You were born before 1983

You may automatically be a British citizen if you were born before 1 January 1983 and:

  • you were born outside the UK
  • your father is British 

When you were born, your father must have been all of the following:

  • a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies
  • married to your mother
  • able to pass on his citizenship to you

Your father could pass on his citizenship to you if he was one of the following:

  • born or adopted in the UK
  • given citizenship after applying for it in his own right (not based on having a British parent)
  • working as a Crown servant when you were born (for example in the diplomatic service, overseas civil service or armed forces)

If you qualify for citizenship in this way, your children will not automatically become British if they’re born outside the UK. Check if you qualify another way.

If you’re automatically a citizen, you can apply for a UK passport or ask for a letter confirming your citizenship (your ‘immigration status’).

If you live in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory, there’s a different way to get a letter confirming your citizenship.

If you’re not automatically a citizen

You may be eligible to apply for citizenship if either:

  • your parents were not married when you were born
  • your mother was British, not your father

Your mother or father must have been a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies when you were born. They must also have been one of the following:

  • born or adopted in the UK
  • given citizenship after applying for it in their own right (not based on having a British parent)
  • working as a Crown servant when you were born (for example in the diplomatic service, overseas civil service or armed forces)

Fees

You’ll need to pay £130 to attend a citizenship ceremony.

Before you apply

Check you can apply if:

It may take longer than the usual 6 months to get a decision because of coronavirus (COVID-19). You’ll get extra time to provide your fingerprints, photo and additional information, and to book a citizenship ceremony. This will not affect the decision.

How to apply

You can:

You’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo).

You do not need to send your documents anywhere. You can either:

  • upload copies into the online service
  • have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment

You can also apply by post if your father is British or your mother is British. This will take much longer than applying online because of coronavirus. Avoid applying by post, especially if you need your documents back by a specific date.

If you’re applying from the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory

If you live in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory, you have to apply in person or by post instead - check which you can do with your governor’s office.

The form you send depends on which of your parents is British:

You’ll be told where to give your biometric information after you apply.

Get help to apply online

You can get help with completing the online form if you:

  • do not feel confident using a computer or mobile device
  • do not have internet access

You can only use this service if you’re applying in the UK.

You cannot get immigration advice through this service.

View a printable version of the whole guide

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