UK citizenship to be extended to more people with British mothers

May 13 2009 by Bryan Palmer

New proposals could change the way people with British mothers are classed under UK citizenship laws.

Under the terms of the current law, a person who has a British mother currently has a right to register as a British citizen under section 4C of the British Nationality Act 1981 if he or she meets two criteria.

First, he or she must have been born between 7th February 1961 and 1st January 1983. Second, he or she must have been able to become a British citizen if women had been able to pass on UK citizenship in the same way as men at that time.

The government has proposed changes to the law to allow people born before 7th February 1961 to British mothers to be registered as British citizens. These proposals are set out in the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill which is currently being debated in Parliament.

The Bill seeks to amend UK visa law on immigration, asylum and nationality. It includes the UK citizenship and child protection aspects of the Draft (Partial) Immigration and Citizenship Bill which was published for consultation in July 2008 and incorporates aspects of other consultation exercises on the Common Travel Area (the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland).

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