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Paths to citizenship can be confusing for many. With so many requirements and so many different ways to claim citizenship, many people are missing out on easier paths they could take to claim British citizenship that are not a UK spouse visa. These lesser-known paths may seem niche for some; however, they can be the difference between claiming and not claiming citizenship for many, slipping through the cracks.
So if you are planning to apply for or claim British citizenship, whether you’re already in the country and want to stay, or you’re planning on moving to Great Britain, here are two lesser-known ways that you can claim citizenship that are lesser known but could be helpful for many.
1. British citizenship by crown service
One of the least known ways to claim British citizenship is through any British Crown Service. This means anyone who has a UK-born parent or a UK-born grandfather who was employed by the British government in a foreign territory can claim British citizenship. These roles include anyone who worked in the British military, the Red Cross, any colonial government or any territory defence organisation and many more. To check if you can claim citizenship this way yu can check through the British nationality assessment. At the moment, the stipulations of this path to British citizenship are quite gender discriminatory, as only grandfathers can pass down automatic citizenship, so those claiming through grandmothers in the crown service should query with the relevant authorities or solicitors, such as London immigration.
2. Citizenship by descent
Citizenship by descent is another path to British citizenship for many. This means that you may not have been born in the UK, but you have a parent who was, and you may be able to claim citizenship. The rules on whether you can claim British citizenship can vary depending on the time of birth, as the rules before and after 1983 and 2006 differ.
You were born before 1983- If you were born before 1983, you can claim British citizenship if your father was a British citizen and you were born outside of the UK. The rules for before 1983 are strict, meaning that anyone whos parent were not married, or your mother was British, not your father, will not automatically make you a citizen, and you may have to find a different path forward.
You were born between 1983 and June 2006- This route to citizenship stipulates that anyone born between these dates can instantly claim citizenship if their mother or father was a british citizenship when they were born. This means that anyone who was born to a British father who was married or a mother who does not have to be married can automatically be a British citizen.
You were born after June 2006- This means that a mother or father who was British, married or not, could pass down their citizenship to you. This includes those born or adopted into the UK and anyone who has applied for British citizenship themselves, without being born in the UK.
