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

• Who can apply

  You may be eligible for British citizenship if you have a British parent.…

• You were born on or after 1 July 2006

  You’re automatically a British citizen if you were born outside the UK and…

• You were born between 1983 and June 2006

  You’re automatically a British citizen if you were born outside the UK and…

• You were born before 1983

  You may automatically be a British citizen if you were born before 1…

• After you've applied

  You’ll usually get a decision within 6 months - some applications can take…

There are different ways to apply for British citizenship, including ‘naturalisation’. Check your eligibility to apply.

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

• Overview

  You can apply to give up (renounce) your British citizenship or status. If…

• Apply

  Fill in the form online. You’ll usually be able to keep your documents…

• After you've applied

  You’ll get a ‘declaration of renunciation’ if your application is…

• Resume your British nationality

  In some cases it’s possible to resume your British nationality after…

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

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

How to apply for British citizenship if you're a British overseas citizen, protected person, subject, national or overseas territories citizen - who's eligible, fees and where to send your application.

How to apply for British citizenship if you're stateless - who's eligible, fees and where to send your application

Apply for British citizenship if you're married to, or in a civil partnership with, a British citizen - form AN, who's eligible, fees and how to apply.

Information about moving to, living or retiring in the USA – including visas, working, healthcare and driving.

• Updated: 11 December 2025

Dual citizenship (also known as dual nationality) is allowed in the UK. Read the rules and how to apply.