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In 2013 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office made available to the public a large collection of files from former British territories, sometimes known as the 'migrated archives'.

• Updated: 17 November 2015

The different types of British nationality explained - British citizen, British overseas territories citizen, British overseas citizen, British subject, British national (overseas), British protected person

• Overview

  There are 6 different types of British nationality. These are: British…

• British citizenship

  You can live and work in the UK free of any immigration controls if you’re…

• British overseas territories citizen

  British overseas territories citizenship was called ‘British dependent…

• British overseas citizen

  You became a British overseas citizen on 1 January 1983 if both of these…

• British subject

  Until 1949, nearly everyone with a close connection to the United Kingdom…

• British national (overseas)

  Someone who was a British overseas territories citizen (previously British…

• British protected person

  You would have become a British protected person on 1 January 1983 if you:…

How to access the historical censuses from 1841 to 1921.

• Updated: 21 December 2017

Check if you're automatically a British citizen - it depends on where and when you were born and your parents' immigration status.

Having right of abode means you're allowed to live or work in the UK without any immigration restrictions - apply for a certificate of entitlement to prove you have it.

• Updated: 1 January 2000

Apply to give up (renounce) your British citizenship or status - ‘declaration of renunciation’

Apply for British citizenship if you have a British parent - who's eligible, fees and how to apply

• Updated: 22 May 2023

Nationality instructions about how UK Visas and Immigration decides on applications from citizens of the UK and colonies.

• Updated: 17 December 2007