How to claim British citizenship

If you’re already British: get a passport

1. Gather your proofYour full birth certificate showing your parents, your British parent’s UK birth certificate (or naturalization certificate), and your parents’ marriage certificate if you were born before July 1, 2006 and are claiming through your father.
2. Apply online for a first adult passportHM Passport Office takes applications from abroad on GOV.UK. An adult passport from abroad costs £116.50 online, or £130 by mail, and some countries add a courier fee. Documents that aren’t in English need a full translation by a professional translator.
3. Send your documentsFollow the instructions after you apply. Original documents are returned. Allow at least 6 weeks. HM Passport Office tells you within 4 weeks if it needs more details or an interview.

If you just want proof of your status without a passport, you can ask the Home Office for a confirmation letter.

Born before 1983 to a British mother: form UKM

1. Check you’re eligibleUse the UKM guidance on GOV.UK. Your mother must have been a citizen of the UK and Colonies when you were born, and meet one of the extra conditions, such as being born in the UK.
2. Apply onlineOr by mail on form UKM.
3. Give your fingerprints and photoAt a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services point. Your documents can be uploaded or scanned there.
4. Attend a citizenship ceremonyIf you’re 18 or over. The £130 ceremony fee is the only fee for this route.

Born before July 1, 2006 to an unmarried British father: form UKF

1. Check you’re eligibleUse the UKF guidance on GOV.UK. It’s for people who would have been British automatically if their parents had been married. It also covers people born on or after July 1, 2006 who aren’t British because their mother was married to someone other than their natural father. The Home Office aims to decide within 6 months.
2. Apply onlineOr by mail on form UKF.
3. Attend a citizenship ceremonyIf you’re 18 or over. The £130 ceremony fee is the only fee for this route.

Registering a child born abroad

If you’re British by descent and your child was born abroad, they may be able to register. Conditions depend on how long you, or the family, have lived in the UK, and some routes have to be used before the child turns 18. Registering a child costs £1,000. Check the GOV.UK guidance before the child’s 18th birthday.