document_title: Right-to-work law

question_text: when did georgia became a right to work state

text: Right-to-work law

text: History

text: Origins

text: According to Slate, "right-to-work" laws are derived from legislation forbidding unions from forcing strikes on workers, as well as from legal principles such as "liberty of contract," which as applied here sought to prevent passage of laws regulating workplace conditions.[8]

text: According to PandoDaily and NSFWCORP, the term itself was coined by Vance Muse, a Republican operative who headed an early "right-to-work" group, the "Christian American Association", to replace the term "American Plan" after it became associated with the anti-union violence of the First Red Scare.[9][10] Muse used racist rhetoric in his defense of "right-to-work" laws.[9][10]

text: According to the Conservative think tank, the American Enterprise Institute, the term "right to work" was coined by Dallas Morning News editorial writer William Ruggles.[11]

text: (An unrelated use of term "right to work" had been coined by French socialist leader Louis Blanc before 1848.[12])

text: Wagner Act (1935)

text: The National Labor Relations Act, generally known as the Wagner Act, was passed in 1935 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Second New Deal." Among other things, the Act provided that a company could lawfully agree to be any of the following:

text:
A closed shop, in which employees must be members of the union as a condition of employment. Under a closed shop, an employee who ceased being a member of the union for whatever reason, from failure to pay dues to expulsion from the union as an internal disciplinary punishment, was required to be fired even if the employee did not violate any of the employer's rules.
A union shop, which allows for hiring non-union employees, provided that the employees then join the union within a certain period.
An agency shop, in which employees must pay the equivalent of the cost of union representation, but need not formally join the union.
An open shop, in which an employee cannot be compelled to join or pay the equivalent of dues to a union or be fired for joining the union.[13]

text: The Act tasked the National Labor Relations Board, which had existed since 1933, with overseeing the rules.

text: Taft–Hartley Act (1947)

text: In 1947 Congress passed the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, generally known as the Taft–Hartley Act, over President Harry S. Truman's veto. The Act repealed some parts of the Wagner Act, including outlawing the closed shop. Section 14(b) of the Taft–Hartley Act also authorizes individual states (but not local governments, such as cities or counties) to outlaw the union shop and agency shop for employees working in their jurisdictions. Any state law that outlaws such arrangements is known as a "right-to-work state."

text: In the early development of the right-to-work policy, segregationist sentiment was used as an argument, as many people in the South felt that it was wrong for blacks and whites to belong to the same unions. Vance Muse, one of the early developers of the policy in Texas, used that argument in the development of anti-union laws in Texas in the 1940s.[14]

text: Current status

text: The federal government operates under open shop rules nationwide, but many of its employees are represented by unions. Unions that represent professional athletes have written contracts that include particular representation provisions (such as in the National Football League),[15] but their application is limited to "wherever and whenever legal," as the Supreme Court has clearly held that the application of a right-to-work law is determined by the employee's "predominant job situs."[16] Players on professional sports teams in states with right-to-work laws are thus subject to those laws and cannot be required to pay any portion of union dues as a condition of continued employment.[17]

text: Twenty-two states, as well as the District of Columbia, do not have right-to-work laws. Missouri's is on hold after a petition called for a statewide vote on the issue.

text: On November 18, 2016, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the right of local governments to enact local right-to-work laws in Kentucky, Ohio, and the other states of its jurisdiction.[18]

text: Arguments

text: Minority rights and due process

text: The first arguments concerning the right to work centered around the rights of a dissenting minority with respect to an opposing majoritarian collective bargain. President Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" had prompted many U.S. Supreme Court challenges, among which were challenges regarding the constitutionality of the National Industry Recovery Act of 1933 (NIRA). In 1936, as a part of its ruling in Carter v. Carter Coal Co. the Court ruled against mandatory collective bargaining, stating:

text: The effect, in respect to wages and hours, is to subject the dissentient minority ... to the will of the stated majority .... To ‘accept’ in these circumstances, is not to exercise a choice, but to surrender to force. The power conferred upon the majority is, in effect, the power to regulate the affairs of an unwilling minority. This is legislative delegation in its most obnoxious form; for it is not even delegation to an official or an official body ... but to private persons .... [A] statute which attempts to confer such power undertakes an intolerable and unconstitutional interference with personal liberty and private property. The delegation is so clearly arbitrary, and so clearly a denial of rights safeguarded by the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment, that it is unnecessary to do more than refer to decisions of this Court which foreclose the question.[19]

text: Freedom of association

text: Besides the U.S. Supreme Court, other proponents of right-to-work laws also point to the Constitution and the right to freedom of association. They argue that workers should both be free to join unions or to refrain, and thus, sometimes refer to non-right-to-work states as "forced unionism" states. These proponents argue that by being forced into a collective bargain, what the majoritarian unions call a fair share of collective bargaining costs is actually "financial coercion and a violation of freedom of choice." An opponent to the union bargain is forced to "financially support an organization they did not vote for, in order to receive monopoly representation they have no choice over."[20]

text: Some religions, such as the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, prohibit or discourage the joining of unions,[21] citing Ellen White and the Loss of Free Will if you join a union.[clarification needed]

text: Unfairness

text: Proponents such as the Mackinac Center for Public Policy contend that it is unfair that unions can require new and existing employees to either join the union or pay fees for collective bargaining expenses as a condition of employment under union security agreement contracts.[22] Other proponents contend that unions may still be needed in new and growing sectors of the economy, for example, the voluntary and third party sectors, to assure adequate benefits for new immigrant, "part-time" aides in America (e.g., US Direct Support Workforce).

text: Political contributions

text: Right-to-work proponents, including the Center for Union Facts, contend that political contributions made by unions are not representative of the union workers.[23] The agency shop portion of this had previously been contested with support of National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation in Communications Workers of America v. Beck, resulting in "Beck rights" preventing agency fees from being used for expenses outside of collective bargaining if the non-union worker notifies the union of their objection.[24]

text: Cost of Living

text: States enforcing union security provisions in union collective bargaining agreements generally have a higher cost of living,[25] [26] however, no systematic analysis identifies union security agreements as a significant cause of this variance.

text: Free riders

text: This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: article needs a coherent summary of arguments by someone at least slightly familiar with the subject Please help improve this article if you can. (December 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Opponents such as Richard Kahlenberg have argued that while it is an effective political slogan, the phrase "right-to-work" is a misnomer because the lack of such a law does not deprive anyone of the right to work. The Taft–Hartley Act (1947) outlawed the union-only "closed shops" which did deprive people of the right to work, and the "right to work" doesn't eliminate a worker's option of joining a work or labor union. A right-to-work law simply "gives employees the right to be free riders—to benefit from collective bargaining without paying for it".[27][28][6][29] Under labor laws in the United States, the union as the exclusive collective bargaining agent has a duty of fair representation for all persons in the bargaining unit, including those who choose not to be members and pay dues. Thus, in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, the Supreme Court of the United States permitted agency fees so that employees in the public sector could be required to pay for the costs of representation, even as they opted not to be a member. The right to challenge the fees must include the right to have it heard by an impartial fact finder.[30]

text: Freedom of contract and association

text: Opponents argue that right-to-work laws restrict freedom of association, and limit the sorts of agreements individuals acting collectively can make with their employer, by prohibiting workers and employers from agreeing to contracts that include "fair share fees". Moreover, American law imposes a duty of fair representation on unions; consequently non-members in right to work states can and do force unions to provide without compensation grievance services that are paid for by union members.[31] Hence right-to-work laws are not neutral, but rather impose an active and artificial burden on labor unions.

text: In December 2012, libertarian writer J.D. Tuccille, in Reason magazine, wrote:

text: I consider the restrictions right-to-work laws impose on bargaining between unions and businesses to violate freedom of contract and association. ... I'm disappointed that the state has, once again, inserted itself into the marketplace to place its thumb on the scale in the never-ending game of playing business and labor off against one another. ... This is not to say that unions are always good. It means that, when the state isn't involved, they're private organizations that can offer value to their members.[32]

text: Corporate interests

text: Critics from organized labor have pointed out since the late 1970s[33] that while the National Right to Work Committee purports to engage in grass-roots lobbying on behalf of the "little guy", the National Right to Work Committee was formed by a group of southern businessmen with the express purpose of fighting unions, and that they "added a few workers for the purpose of public relations".[34]

text: The unions also contend that the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation and National Right to Work Committee have received millions of dollars in grants from foundations controlled by major U.S. industrialists like the New York-based Olin Foundation, Inc., which grew out of a family manufacturing business, but now funds primarily conservative think tanks, media outlets, and university law programs.[34][35]

text: Kahlenberg and Marvit also argue that, at least in efforts to pass a right-to-work law in Michigan, excluding police and firefighter unions—traditionally less hostile to Republicans—from the law caused some to question claims that the law was simply an effort to improve Michigan's businesses climate, not to seek partisan advantage.[27]

text: Corporate interests have now involved the growing non-profit and voluntary sectors of the economy which "achieved parity in wages and benefits" to the state, unionized workforces, while not assuring provisions such as adverse hearings which benefit employees.

text: Studies of economic effect

text: According to Tim Bartik of the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, studies of the effect of right-to-work laws "abound," but are not "consistent." Studies have found both "some positive effect on job growth," and no effect.[36] Thomas Holmes argues that it is difficult to analyze right-to-work laws by comparing states due to other similarities between states that have passed these laws. For instance, right-to-work states often have some strong pro-business policies, making it difficult to isolate the effect of right-to-work laws.[37] Looking at the growth of states in the Southeast following World War II, Bartik notes that while they have right-to-work laws they have also benefited from "factors like the widespread use of air conditioning and different modes of transportation that helped decentralize manufacturing".[38]

text: Economist Thomas Holmes compared counties close to the border between states with and without right-to-work laws (thereby holding constant an array of factors related to geography and climate). He found that the cumulative growth of employment in manufacturing in the right-to-work states was 26 percentage points greater than that in the non-right-to-work states.[39] However, given the study design, Holmes points out "my results do not say that it is right-to-work laws that matter, but rather that the 'probusiness package' offered by right-to-work states seems to matter."[40] Moreover, as noted by Kevin Drum and others, this result may reflect business relocation rather than an overall enhancement of economic growth, since "businesses prefer locating in states where costs are low and rules are lax."[41]

text: A February 2011 study by the Economic Policy Institute found:[28]

text:
Wages in right-to-work states are 3.2% lower than those in non-RTW states, after controlling for a full complement of individual demographic and socioeconomic variables as well as state macroeconomic indicators. Using the average wage in non-RTW states as the base ($22.11), the average full-time, full-year worker in an RTW state makes about $1,500 less annually than a similar worker in a non-RTW state. The study goes on to say "How much of this difference can be attributed to RTW status itself? There is an inherent “endogeneity” problem in any attempt to answer that question, namely that RTW and non-RTW states differ on a wide variety of measures that are also related to compensation, making it difficult to isolate the impact of RTW status."[28]
The rate of employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI) is 2.6 percentage points lower in RTW states compared with non-RTW states, after controlling for individual, job, and state-level characteristics. If workers in non-RTW states were to receive ESI at this lower rate, 2 million fewer workers nationally would be covered.
The rate of employer-sponsored pensions is 4.8 percentage points lower in RTW states, using the full complement of control variables in [the study's] regression model. If workers in non-RTW states were to receive pensions at this lower rate, 3.8 million fewer workers nationally would have pensions.

text: A 2008 editorial in The Wall Street Journal comparing job growth in Ohio and Texas stated that from 1998 to 2008, Ohio lost 10,400 jobs, while Texas gained 1,615,000. The opinion piece suggested right-to-work laws might be among the reasons for the economic expansion in Texas, along with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the absence of a state income tax in Texas.[42] Another Wall Street Journal editorial in 2012, by the president and the labor policy director of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, reported 71% employment growth in right-to-work states from 1980 to 2011, while employment in non-right-to-work states grew just 32% during the same period.[43] The 2012 editorial also stated that since 2001, compensation in right-to-work states had increased 4 times faster than in other states.[43]

text: Polling

text: In January 2012, in the immediate aftermath of passage of Indiana's right-to-work law, Rasmussen Reports found that 74% of likely U.S. voters supported right-to-work laws, but "most also don’t think a non-union worker should enjoy benefits negotiated by the union."[44]

text: In Michigan in January through March 2013, a poll found that 43 percent of those polled thought the law would help Michigan's economy, while 41 percent thought it would hurt.[45]

text: U.S. states with right-to-work laws

text: The following states (28) are right-to-work states:

text:
Alabama (adopted 1953, Constitution 2016)
Arizona (Constitution, State Constitution Article 25 approved 1946)[46] (adopted 1944)
Arkansas (Constitution, 1947, Amendment 34)
Florida (Constitution, 1944, revised 1968, Article 1, Section 6)[47]
Georgia (adopted 1947)
Idaho (adopted 1985)
Indiana[4] (State law, 2012)
Iowa (adopted 1947)
Kansas (Constitution, 1958, Article 15, Section 12)
Kentucky (adopted 2017)
Louisiana (adopted 1976)
Michigan (State law, 2012)[3]
Mississippi (Constitution, adopted 1954)
Missouri (adopted 2017) (Postponed by petition to 2018 for citizen voting)
Nebraska (Constitution and statute, adopted 1946)
Nevada (adopted 1951)
North Carolina (adopted 1947)
North Dakota (adopted 1947)
Oklahoma (Constitution, adopted 2001)
South Carolina[48] (adopted 1954)
South Dakota (adopted 1946)
Tennessee (adopted 1947)
Texas[49] (adopted 1947, revised 1993)
Utah (adopted 1955)
Virginia (adopted 1947)
West Virginia (adopted 2016) (Went into effect September 2017 due to lower court injunctions)
Wisconsin (adopted 2015)
Wyoming (adopted 1963)

text: In addition, the territory of Guam also has right-to-work laws, and employees of the US Federal Government have the right to choose whether or not to join their respective unions.[50]

text: New Hampshire adopted a right-to-work bill in 1947, but it was repealed in 1949 by the state legislature and governor.[51]


document_title: British nationality law

question_text: if i was born in the uk what is my nationality

question_tokens: if i was born in the uk what is my nationality

root

text: British nationality law

text: History[edit]

text: English law and Scots law have always distinguished between the Monarch's subjects and aliens, but British nationality law was uncodified until the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914 codified existing common law and statute, with a few minor changes.

tag: p

text:
British citizenship and
British nationality law

Introduction

British nationality law

History

Citizens of the Republic of Ireland
in the United Kingdom

Classes of British national
status and other status

British citizens
British subjects
(under the British Nationality Act 1981)
British Overseas Territories citizens
British Nationals (Overseas)
British Overseas citizens
British Protected Persons
Commonwealth citizens
in the United Kingdom

See also

Right of abode
Belonger status
(in certain British Overseas Territories
and formerly certain former British Dependent territories)

Acts

British Nationality Act 1948
Ireland Act 1949
Immigration Act 1971
British Nationality Act 1981
British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983
British Overseas Territories Act 2002

v
t
e

tag: table

text:
Part of a series of articles on the

United Kingdom
in the
European Union

show
Accession

1973 EC enlargement
1975 Referendum Act
1975 EC membership referendum
1972 EC Act
UK rebate
2011 EU Act

show
Membership

Brand EU
EU Four
The Euro
European Movement UK
Nationality law
UK Euroscepticism

Maastricht Rebels

Black Wednesday

Officials and bodies

EU Committee
European Scrutiny Committee
Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels
EU Representative in London
Young European Movement UK
UK European Commissioners
Permanent EU Representatives

Legislation

1972 EC Act
1986 EC (Amendment) Act
1993 EC (Amendment) Act
1998 EC (Amendment) Act
2002 EC (Amendment) Act
2008 EU (Amendment) Act
2011 EU Act

European Parliament Elections

1979
1984
1989
1994
1999
2004
2009
2014

1973 delegation
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th

show
Withdrawal

2004–05 EU Bill
2013–14 EU (Referendum) Bill
2015–16 EU membership renegotiation
2015 EU Referendum Act
2016 EU (Referendum) Act (Gibraltar)

2016 EU membership referendum

Causes
Endorsements
Issues
Opinion polling

Campaigns

Organisations advocating and campaigning
for a referendum

People's Pledge
Labour for a Referendum

Leave

Vote Leave (official lead group)

Business for Britain
Conservatives for Britain
Students for Britain

Labour Leave
Leave.EU

Bpoplive (cancelled)

Grassroots Out
Get Britain Out
The Freedom Association

Better Off Out

Other anti-EU advocacy organisations

Bruges Group
Campaign for an Independent Britain

Remain

Britain Stronger in Europe (official lead group)
Labour In for Britain
European Movement UK

Other pro-EU advocacy organisations

Britain in Europe
British Influence
Business for New Europe
New Europeans
Nucleus
People's Vote

Pejorative term for pro-EU advocacy

Project Fear

Media coverage

Brexit: The Movie
In or Out

Aftermath

Results
International reactions
Terms of Withdrawal from EU (Referendum) Bill 2016-17
2016 Conservative Party election
2016 Labour Party election
2017 Liberal Democrats Party election
Proposed second Scottish independence referendum
Proposed London independence
The New European
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (including meaningful vote)
Gibraltar
2017 General Election
UK's relations with EU after 2019

Triggering of Article 50 & Negotiations

R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union'
EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017
UK invocation of Article 50
Brexit negotiations
Department for Exiting the EU (Brexit Department)

Secretary of State (Brexit Secretary)

Department for International Trade

Secretary of State (International Trade Secretary)

Post-referendum organisations

Change Britain
More United
Open Britain

See also

United Ireland

show
Calls for second vote

Organisations campaigning
for a second vote via People's Vote

Britain for Europe
European Movement UK
For our Future’s Sake
Healthier IN
InFacts
Open Britain
Our Future Our Choice
Scientists for EU
Wales for Europe

Non-People's Vote campaign group

Best for Britain

See also

Opposition to Brexit in the United Kingdom

v
t
e

text: Some thought the single Imperial status of "British subject" was becoming increasingly inadequate to deal with a Commonwealth with independent member states. In 1948, the Commonwealth Heads of Government agreed that each member would adopt a national citizenship (Canada had already done so), but that the existing status of the British subject would continue as a common status held by all Commonwealth citizens.

text: The British Nationality Act 1948 established the status of Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC), the national citizenship of the United Kingdom and colonies on 1 January 1949. Until the early 1960s there was little difference, if any, in UK law between the rights of CUKCs and other British subjects, all of whom had the right at any time to enter and live in the UK.

text: Independence Acts, passed when the remaining colonies were granted independence, contained nationality provisions. In general, these provisions withdrew the status of CUKC from anyone who became citizens of the newly independent country, unless one had a connection with the UK or a remaining colony (e.g. through birth in the UK). Exceptions were sometimes made in cases where the colonies did not become independent. (Notable cases include Penang and Malacca, which were made part of the Federation of Malaya; and Hong Kong, which became part of the People's Republic of China: CUKC status was not withdrawn from CUKCs from Penang and Malacca, and a new British nationality status was created for Hong Kong.)

text: Between 1962 and 1971, as a result of fears about increasing immigration by Commonwealth citizens from Asia and Africa, the UK gradually tightened controls on immigration by British subjects from other parts of the Commonwealth. The Immigration Act 1971 introduced the concept of patriality, by which only British subjects with sufficiently strong links to the British Islands (i.e. the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) had right of abode, the right to live and work in the Islands.

text: The principal British nationality law now in force is the British Nationality Act 1981, which established the current system of multiple categories of British nationality, viz. British citizens, British Overseas Territories citizens, British Overseas citizens, British Nationals (Overseas), British subjects, and British protected persons. Only British citizens and certain Commonwealth citizens have the automatic right of abode in the UK.

text: The 1981 Act ceased to recognise Commonwealth citizens as British subjects. There remain only two categories of people who are still British subjects: those (formerly known as British subjects without citizenship) who acquired British nationality through a connection with former British India, and those connected with the Republic of Ireland before 1949 who have made a declaration to retain British nationality. British subjects connected with former British India lose British nationality if they acquire any other.

text: In spite of the fact that the 1981 act repealed most of the provisions of 1948 act and the nationality clauses in subsequent independence acts, the acquisition of new categories of British nationality created by the 1981 act was often dependent on nationality status prior to 1 January 1983, the date the 1981 act came into effect, so many of the provisions of the 1948 act and subsequent independence acts are still relevant. Not taking this into account might lead one to the erroneous conclusion, for example, that the 1981 act's repeal of the nationality clauses in the Kenya Independence Act of 1963 restored British nationality to those who lost their CUKC status as a result of Kenya's independence in 1963. This is one of the reasons for the complexity of British nationality law; in complicated cases, determining British nationality status requires an examination of several nationality acts in their original form.

text: Classes of British nationality[edit]

text: There are currently six classes of British nationality.[1]

text:
Category
Active
British
passport
Consular assistance
from UK diplomatic posts
Immigration control exemption
and right of abode in the UK
EU citizen

British Citizen
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y

British Overseas Territories citizen
Y
Y
Y
Y(Gibraltar)
Y(Gibraltar)

N(other territories)
N(other territories)

British Overseas citizen
N
Y
Y
N
N

British subject
N
Y
Y
Y(with right of abode)
Y(with right of abode)

N(without right of abode)
N(without right of abode)

British National (Overseas)
N
Y
Y
N
N

British protected person
N
Y
Y
N
N

text: Active categories[edit]

text: The following two classes of British nationality are "active", meaning that they can be acquired at birth, or by naturalization or registration for any eligible person.

text: Residual categories[edit]

text: The four residual categories are expected to become extinct with the passage of time. They can be passed to children only in exceptional circumstances, e.g., if the child would otherwise be stateless. There is consequently little provision for the acquisition of these classes of nationality by people who do not already have them. To reduce de facto statelessness, most are allowed to be registered as British citizens provided holding no other citizenship or nationality.

text: Relationship with right of abode[edit]

text: Only the status of British citizen carries with it the right of abode in a certain country or territory (in this case the UK).

text: In practice, BOTCs (except those associated with the Sovereign bases in Cyprus) were granted full British citizenship in 2002; BN(O)s have right of abode or right to land in Hong Kong (note: not conferred by the status itself, but the Immigration Ordinance of Hong Kong) and are eligible for registration as British citizens if holding no other nationality under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009; BSs and BPPs lose their statuses upon acquisition of another nationality (except BSs connected with the Republic of Ireland) and so should be eligible for registration as British citizens under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

text: British Overseas citizens are unique in that their nationality status is not associated with a right of residence, and only certain types of BOCs are eligible to be registered as British citizens under Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

text: Acquisition of British citizenship[edit]

text: British Citizenship can be acquired in the following ways:

text:
lex soli: By birth in the UK or a qualified British Overseas Territory to a parent who is a British citizen at the time of the birth, or to a parent who is settled in the UK or that Overseas Territory
lex sanguinis: By birth abroad, which constitutes "by descent" if one of the parents is a British citizen otherwise than by descent (for example by birth, adoption, registration or naturalisation in the UK). British citizenship by descent is only transferable to one generation down from the parent who is a British citizen otherwise than by descent, if the child is born abroad.
By naturalisation
By registration
By adoption

tag: ol

text: For nationality purposes, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man are generally treated as if they were part of the UK.[3]

text: Information about British citizenship and other kinds of British nationality is available from Her Majesty's Government.[4] Information is also available on provisions for reducing statelessness.[5]

text: Persons acquiring citizenship by method (2) are called British citizens by descent; those acquiring citizenship by methods (1), (3) or (5) are called British citizens otherwise than by descent. British citizens by registration, method (4), may be either, depending on the circumstances. Only citizens otherwise than by descent can pass on their citizenship to their children born outside the UK or a British Overseas Territory automatically; British citizens by descent can pass on citizenship to their non-UK born children only by meeting certain UK residence requirements and registering them before the age of 18.

text: British citizenship by birth in the United Kingdom or a qualified British Overseas Territory[edit]

text: From 1 January 1983, a child born in the UK to a parent who is a British citizen or 'settled' in the UK is automatically a British citizen by birth. This provision is extended to children born to such parents in a British Overseas Territory other than Akrotiri and Dhekelia after 21 May 2002. Since 13 January 2010, a child born to a parent who is a member of the British Armed Forces at the time of birth also automatically acquires British citizenship if he or she was born in the UK or a qualified British Overseas Territory.

text:
Only one parent needs to meet this requirement.
'Settled' status usually means the parent is resident in the UK or a British Overseas Territory and has the right of abode (or similar status), or holds Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), or is the citizen of an EU/EEA country and has permanent residence, or otherwise unrestricted by immigration laws to remain in the UK or that Overseas Territory.[6] Irish citizens in the UK are deemed settled for this purpose.
To qualify under the armed forces provision, the parent must be a member of the armed forces at the time of the child's birth.
Special rules exist for cases where a parent of a child is a citizen of a European Union or European Economic Area member state, or Switzerland. The law in this respect was changed on 2 October 2000 and 30 April 2006. See below for details.
For children born before 1 July 2006, if only the father meets this requirement the parents must be married. Marriage subsequent to the birth is normally enough to confer British citizenship from that point.
Where the father is not married to the mother, the Home Office usually registers the child as British provided an application is made and the child would have been British otherwise. The child must be under 18 on the date of application.
Where, after the child's birth, a parent subsequently acquires British citizenship or "settled" status, the child can be registered as a British citizen using Form MN1 provided he/she is aged under 18.[7][8]
If the child lives in the UK until the age of 10, there is a lifetime entitlement to register as a British citizen using Form T. The immigration status of the child and his/her parents is irrelevant. During each of the first 10 years of the child's life, he/she must not have spent over 90 days outside the UK (unless there were 'special circumstances'). The applicant must be of good character at the time the application is made.[9][8]
A child born in the United Kingdom who is and has always been stateless may also qualify on the basis of a period of 5, rather than 10, years residence, using Form S3.[10]
Special provisions may apply for the child to acquire British citizenship if a parent is a British Overseas citizen or British subject, or if the child is stateless.

tag: ul

text: Even if a child born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983 but does not acquire British citizenship at birth, the child is considered a lawful resident in the UK and is not required to apply for leave to remain.[11][12] The child, however, is subject to immigration control and the child's parent(s) can choose to apply for regularisation of the child's immigration status by the grant of leave to remain (for the same period as that held by the parent(s)). If the child leaves the UK, he/she must hold leave to enter or remain in order to return to the UK.[13]

text: Before 1983[edit]

text: Between 1949 and 1982, birth in the UK or a Crown Colony was sufficient in itself to confer the status of Citizen of United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC) irrespective of the status of parents, although only CUKCs with a connection to the UK (i.e., birth in the UK or has a UK-born parent or grandparent) would have right of abode in the UK after 1971 and would eventually become British citizens in 1983. CUKCs without a connection to the UK would become either British Overseas Territories citizens or British Overseas citizens in 1983 depending on whether they have a connection with another BOT.

text: The only exception to this rule were children of diplomats and enemy aliens. This exception did not apply to most visiting forces, so, in general, children born in the UK before 1983 to visiting military personnel (e.g. US forces stationed in the UK) were CUKCs connected with UK and would become British citizens in 1983, albeit as a second nationality.

text: British citizenship by descent[edit]

text: "British citizenship by descent" is the category for the children born outside the UK or an Overseas Territory to a British citizen. Rules for acquiring British citizenship by descent depend on when the person was born.

text: From 1983[edit]

text: A child born outside the UK on or after 1 January 1983 (or outside a British Overseas Territory on or after 21 May 2002) automatically acquires British citizenship by descent if either parent is a British citizen otherwise than by descent at the time of the child's birth.

text:
At least one parent must be a British citizen otherwise than by descent.
As a general rule, an unmarried father cannot pass on British citizenship automatically in the case of a child born before 1 July 2006. If the parents marry subsequent to the birth the child normally becomes a British citizen at that point if legitimated by the marriage and the father was eligible to pass on British citizenship. If the unmarried British father was domiciled in a country that treated (at the date of birth of the child born before 1 July 2006) a child born to unmarried parents in the same way as a child born to married parents, then the father passed on British citizenship automatically to his child, even though the child was born before 1 July 2006 to unmarried parents.[14] Such countries are listed in the UK Home Office Immigration and Passport Services publication "Legitimation and Domicile".[15]
Where the parent is a British citizen by descent additional requirements apply. In the most common scenario, the parent is normally expected to have lived in the UK for three consecutive years and apply to register the child as a British citizen while the child is a minor (clause 43, Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, effective from 13 January 2010). Prior to this date, the age limit was 12 months.
Before 21 May 2002, British Overseas Territories were treated as 'overseas' for nationality purposes. The exceptions were Gibraltar, British citizens under the British Nationality Act 1981; and the Falkland Islands, granted British citizenship following the Falklands War under the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983. Hence, children born to such parents on a British Overseas Territory other than those listed above acquired British citizenship by descent if they were born prior to 21 May 2002, while children born on or after that day on a British Overseas Territory (other than Akrotiri and Dhekelia) acquired British citizenship otherwise by descent as UK-born children.
Children born overseas to parents on Crown Service are normally granted British citizenship otherwise than by descent, so their status is the same as it would have been had they been born in the UK.
In exceptional cases, the Home Secretary may register a child of parents who are British by descent as a British citizen under discretionary provisions, for example if the child is stateless, or a second or subsequent generation born abroad into a British citizen family with strong links with the UK, or in 'compassionate circumstances'.[16]

text: Before 1983[edit]

text: Before 1983, as a general rule CUKC status was transmitted automatically only for one generation, with registration in infancy possible for subsequent generations. Transmission was from the father only, and only if the parents were married. (See History of British nationality law.)

text: Children ineligible for British citizenship at birth[edit]

text: Children born outside the UK before 1 January 1983 to a CUKC mother who became a British citizen on 1 January 1983 and a foreign father are not British citizens by birth, and neither are children born between 1 January 1983 to 1 July 2006 to a British citizen father and a foreign mother out of wedlock.

text: From 20 July 2009, the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 provides that a person born outside the UK to a British mother may be entitled to register as a British citizen by descent if that person was born before 1 January 1983.[17] Before the 2009 changes, only persons born after 7 February 1961 and before 1 January 1983 were eligible for this provision that came into force in April 2003. Requirements for successful registration with form UKM are that the applicant be a child of a British mother born before 1983 and be of good character and attend a citizenship ceremony. Since 2010, there is no longer an application fee (of £540). Applicants do however still have to pay £80 for the citizenship ceremony.[18]

text: From 6 April 2015, a child born out of wedlock before 1 July 2006 to a British father is entitled to register as a British citizen by descent under the Immigration Act 2014 using form UKF.[19] Such child must also meet character requirements, pay relevant processing fees and attend a citizenship ceremony.[20] However, if the applicant has a claim to register as a British citizen under other clauses of the British Nationality Act 1981, or has already acquired British citizenship after being legitimised, the application will be refused.

text: Alternatively, if already resident in the UK, these children may seek naturalisation as a British citizen, which gives transmissible British citizenship otherwise than by descent.

text: British citizenship by adoption[edit]

text: A child adopted by a British citizen acquires British citizenship automatically only if:

text:
the adoption order is made by a court in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Falkland Islands on or after 1 January 1983, or in another British Overseas Territory on or after 21 May 2002; or
it is a Convention adoption under the 1993 Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption effected on or after 1 June 2003 and the adopters are habitually resident in the UK on that date.

text: In both cases, at least one adoptive parent must be a British citizen on the date of the adoption.

text: The requirements are different for persons adopted before 1983.

text: In all other cases, an application for registration of the child as a British citizen must be made before the child is 18. Usually this is granted provided the Secretary of State accepts the adoption is bona fide and the child would have been a British citizen if the natural child of the adopters. Usually the adoption must have taken place under the law of a 'designated country' (most developed nations along with some others are 'designated' for this purpose) and be recognised in the UK. This is the standard method for children adopted by British citizens permanently resident overseas to acquire British citizenship.

text: The cancellation or annulment of an adoption order does not cause loss of British citizenship acquired by that adoption.

text: British children adopted by non-British nationals do not lose British nationality, even if they acquire a foreign nationality as a result of the adoption.

text: Any person who obtains British nationality by this method are British otherwise than by descent, which means they have the same status as those born or naturalised in the UK and can pass on British nationality to their children.

text: British citizenship by naturalisation[edit]

text: Naturalisation as a British citizen is at the discretion of the Home Secretary, who may grant British citizenship to anyone they "think fit".[21] Although the Home Office sets down official requirements for naturalisation they may waive any of them, or may refuse citizenship to a person even if they meet all of the requirements.[22] However, applications for naturalisation are normally granted if the requirements are met.

text: The requirements for naturalisation as a British citizen depend on whether or not one is the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen.

text: For those married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, the applicant must:

text:
Have held indefinite leave to remain in the UK (or an "equivalent" (for this purpose) such as the right of abode, Irish citizenship, or permanent residency as a citizen of an EU/EEA country or a family member of one) at the time they apply for naturalisation. As of 12 November 2015, EEA nationals are explicitly required to obtain a proof of permanent residency in the UK (in the form of permanent residency certificate) if they are to become a British citizen by naturalisation[23]Proof of permanent residence is obtained by completing form EEA (PR) for Home Office approval.[24]
Have lived legally in the UK for three years
Be of "good character", as deemed by the Home Office (in practice the Home Office carries out checks with the police and with other Government departments)
show sufficient knowledge of life in the UK, either by passing the Life in the United Kingdom test or by attending combined English language and citizenship classes. Proof of this must be supplied with one's application for naturalisation. Exemption from this and the language requirement (see below) is normally granted for those aged 65 or over, and may be granted to those aged between 60 and 65. Note that this is required for permanent residency, not just for citizenship, and married partners may be deported if they are unable to pass the test.[dubious – discuss] The test has attracted controversy for being "like a bad pub quiz"[25] and the subject of a critical, comprehensive report by Thom Brooks.[26]
Meet specified English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic language competence standards. Those who pass the Life in the UK test are deemed to meet English language requirements

text: For those not married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, the requirements are:[27][28]

text:
Five years' legal residence in the UK
Indefinite leave to remain or "equivalent" for this purpose (see above) must have been held for 12 months
the applicant must intend to continue to live in the UK or work overseas for the UK government or a British corporation or association
the same "good character" standards apply as for those married to British citizens
the same language and knowledge of life in the UK standards apply as for those married to British citizens

text: Those applying for British citizenship in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man (where the application is mainly based on residence in the Crown Dependencies rather than the UK) do not have to sit the Life in the UK Test. In the Isle of Man, there is a Life in the Isle of Man Test, consisting of certain questions taken from the Life in the UK Test syllabus and certain questions taken from a separate syllabus relating to matters specific to the Isle of Man. In due course it is expected that Regulations will be introduced to that effect in the Channel Islands. The provisions for proving knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic remain unchanged until that date for applicants in the Crown Dependencies. In the rare cases where an applicant is able to apply for naturalisation from outside the United Kingdom, a paper version of the Life in the UK Test may be available at a British diplomatic mission.[29]

text: As of 11 February 2009[update], wait times for naturalisation applications were reportedly up to 6 months.[30] The UK Border Agency stated that this was occurring because of the widespread changes proposed to the immigration laws expected to take effect in late 2009.[31]

text: Fees for naturalisation (including Citizenship ceremony fee) have been rising steadily far faster than inflation;

text:
In 2013 the fee for a single applicant increased to £874.
In 2014 the fee for a single applicant increased to £906.
In 2015 the fee for a single applicant increased to £1005.
In 2016 the fee for a single applicant increased to £1236.
In 2017 the fee for a single applicant increased to £1282.
In 2018 the fee for a single applicant increased to £1330.

text: Citizens of EEA States and Switzerland[edit]

text: The immigration status for citizens of European Economic Area states and Switzerland has changed since 1983. This is important in terms of eligibility for naturalisation, and whether the UK-born child of such a person is a British citizen.[32]

text: Before 2 October 2000[edit]

text: In general, before 2 October 2000, any EEA citizen exercising Treaty rights in the United Kingdom was deemed "settled" in the United Kingdom. Hence a child born to that person in the United Kingdom would normally be a British citizen by birth.

text: 2 October 2000 to 29 April 2006[edit]

text: The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations[33] provided that with only a few exceptions, citizens of EU and European Economic Area states were not generally considered "settled" in the UK unless they applied for and obtained permanent residency. This is relevant in terms of eligibility to apply for naturalisation or obtaining British citizenship for UK born children (born on or after 2 October 2000).

text: 30 April 2006 onwards[edit]

text: On 30 April 2006, the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 came into force, with citizens of EEA states and Switzerland automatically acquiring permanent residence after 5 years' residence in the UK exercising Treaty rights.

text: Children born in the UK to EEA/Swiss parents are normally British citizens automatically if at least one parent has been exercising Treaty rights for five years. If the parents have lived in the UK for less than five years when the child is born, the child may be registered as British under section 1(3) of the British Nationality Act once the parents complete five years' residence.

text: Children born between 2 October 2000 and 29 April 2006 may be registered as British citizens as soon as one parent has completed five years' residence exercising Treaty rights in the UK.

text: Irish citizens[edit]

text: Because of section 2(1) of the Ireland Act 1949 (which states that the Republic of Ireland would not be treated as a foreign country for the purposes of British law), Irish citizens are exempt from these restrictions and are normally treated as "settled" in the UK immediately upon taking up residence.[citation needed] This status may be threatened by Brexit, according to an untested [in court] legal opinion.[34]

text: Swiss citizens[edit]

text: From 1 June 2002, citizens of Switzerland are accorded EEA rights in the UK.[citation needed]

text: Citizens of Greece, Spain and Portugal[edit]

text: Greek citizens did not acquire full Treaty rights in the UK until 1 January 1988[35] and citizens of Spain and Portugal did not acquire these rights until 1 January 1992.[35]

text: Ten years rule[edit]

text: Non-British children with an EEA or Swiss parent may be registered as British once the parent becomes "settled" in the UK under the terms of the Immigration Regulations dealing with EEA citizens.

text: A separate entitlement exists for any such UK-born child registered as British if they live in the UK until age 10, regardless of their or their parent's immigration status.

text: Registration as a British citizen[edit]

text: Registration is a simpler method of acquiring citizenship than naturalisation, but only certain people are eligible.

text: British nationals (other than British citizens) who have indefinite leave to remain or the right of abode in the UK are eligible for British citizenship by registration after five years' residence in the United Kingdom. This is an entitlement under s4 of the 1981 Act (section 4 registration).

text: Other cases where persons may be entitled to registration (either as a matter of law or policy) include:

text:
Children born in the UK where a parent obtains British citizenship or 'settled' status (for example, indefinite leave to remain) after the child is born provided he/she is under the age of 18[7][8]
Children born in the UK who live in the UK until the age of 10[9][8]
Children born in the UK or on a qualified British Overseas Territory to a parent who became a member of the armed forces after the child's birth, if he or she was born on or after 13 January 2010
Children born outside the UK or a qualified British Overseas Territory to a parent who was a member of the armed forces at the time of the child's birth and stationed outside the UK or a qualified BOT, if he or she was born on or after 13 January 2010
Children born to a British father who is not married to the mother
British Overseas citizens, British subjects and British protected persons who have no other nationality
Certain British nationals from Hong Kong who meet the requirements of the Hong Kong (War Wives and Widows) Act 1996 or the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997
British Nationals (Overseas) who do not hold any other citizenship or nationality before 19 March 2009 (see Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 regarding the extension of Section 4B of the British Nationality Act 1981)
Persons born outside the UK to a British born or naturalised mother.
Certain children born outside the UK to a British citizen by descent
Certain children born in the UK who are stateless
Persons who acquire British Overseas Territories citizenship after 21 May 2002 (except those connected solely with the Sovereign Base Areas of Cyprus)
Children under 18 who are adopted outside the UK by British citizens
Former British citizens who renounced British citizenship

text: The Home Secretary can exercise discretion under Section 3(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981 and register a child as a British citizen even if he/she does not meet the formal criteria.[36]

text: Acquisition of British Overseas Territories citizenship[edit]

text: The British Nationality Act 1981 contains provisions for acquisition and loss of British Dependent Territories citizenship (BDTC) (renamed British Overseas Territories citizenship (BOTC) in 2002) on a broadly similar basis to those for British citizenship. The Home Secretary has delegated his powers to grant BOTC to the Governors of the Overseas Territories. Only in exceptional cases is a person registered or naturalised as a BOTC by the Home Office in the UK.

text: On 21 May 2002, any BOTC who did not hold British citizenship (except those from the Sovereign Base Areas) automatically acquired it under the British Overseas Territories Act 2002. Those who acquired BOTC through naturalisation or registration after that date are entitled to register as British citizens under s4A of the 1981 Act.

text: Acquisition of other categories of British nationality[edit]

text: It is unusual for a person to be able to acquire British Overseas citizenship, British National (Overseas), British subject or British protected person status. They are not generally transmissible by descent, nor are they open to acquisition by registration, except for certain instances to prevent statelessness.

text: The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 granted British Overseas Citizens, British Subjects and British Protected Persons the right to register as British citizens if they have no other citizenship or nationality and have not after 4 July 2002 renounced, voluntarily relinquished or lost through action or inaction any citizenship or nationality. Previously such persons would have not had the right of abode in any country, and would have thus been de facto stateless. Despite strong resistance from senior officials at the Home Office,[37] the then Home Secretary, David Blunkett, said on 3 July 2002 that this would "right a historic wrong" that left stateless tens of thousands of Asian people who had worked closely with British colonial administrations.[38]

text: Persons connected with former British colonies[edit]

text: British Overseas citizenship is generally held by persons connected with former British colonies and who did not lose their British Nationality upon the independence of those colonies.

text: British Nationals (Overseas) and Hong Kong[edit]

text: After the withdrawal of BDTC status from all BDTCs by virtue of a connection with Hong Kong on 30 June 1997, most of them are now either British Nationals (Overseas) and/or British citizens (with or without nationality of China), or Chinese nationals only. The remaining few became British Overseas citizens.

text: Before the handover in 1997, former BDTCs from Hong Kong had been able to acquire British citizenship under legislation passed in 1990, 1996 and 1997. In other cases, certain persons may already hold British citizenship as a matter of entitlement or through registration under normal procedures.

text: Although it is no longer possible to acquire British National (Overseas) status after 31 December 1997, stateless children born to such parents are entitled to British Overseas citizenship and can subsequently apply to register as British citizens under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. Since 2009, BN(O)s without other nationalities or citizenship are able to register as British citizens under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 as well.

text: British citizens and BN(O)s who are of full or partial Chinese descent are also Chinese nationals under Chinese law unless they have renounced their Chinese nationality with the Hong Kong SAR Government. As China does not recognise multiple nationality, those persons are considered by China as solely Chinese nationals before and after the handover of Hong Kong and hence are not eligible for consular protection when on Chinese soil. Although holding the same nationality under the Chinese nationality law, Chinese nationals with a connection to Hong Kong or Macau have been categorised differently from Chinese nationals domiciled in Mainland China.

text: In February 2006, in response to extensive representations made by Lord Avebury and Tameem Ebrahim,[39] British authorities announced that 600 British citizenship applications of ethnic minority children of Indian descent from Hong Kong were wrongly refused.[40] The applications dated from the period July 1997 onwards. Where applicants in such cases confirm that they still wish to receive British citizenship, the decision is reconsidered on request. No additional fee is required in such cases. A template to request reconsideration is available for those who want a prior application reconsidered.[41]

text: Persons born in the Republic of Ireland[edit]

text: Approximately 800,000 persons born before 1949 and connected with the Republic of Ireland remain entitled to claim British subject status under section 31 of the 1981 Act.

text: Descendants of the Electress Sophia of Hanover[edit]

text: Eligible descendants from the Electress Sophia of Hanover may hold British Overseas citizenship based on their status as British subjects before 1949. Where such a person acquired a right of abode in the UK before 1983, it is possible for British citizenship to have been acquired. See also History of British nationality law and Sophia Naturalization Act 1705.

text: Loss of British nationality[edit]

text: Renunciation and resumption of British nationality[edit]

text: All categories of British nationality can be renounced by a declaration made to the Home Secretary. A person ceases to be a British national on the date the Home Secretary registers the declaration of renunciation. If a declaration is registered in the expectation of acquiring another citizenship but one is not acquired within six months of the registration, it does not take effect and the person remains a British national.

text: Renunciations made to other authorities (such as the general renunciation made as part of the US naturalisation ceremony) are not recognised by the UK. The forms must be sent through the UK Border Agency's citizenship renunciation process.[42] There are provisions for the resumption of British citizenship or British overseas territories citizenship renounced for the purpose of gaining or retaining another citizenship. This can generally only be done once as a matter of entitlement. Further opportunities to resume British citizenship are discretionary.

text: British subjects, British Overseas citizens and British Nationals (Overseas) cannot resume their British nationality after renunciation.

text: Automatic loss of British nationality[edit]

text: British subjects (other than British subjects by virtue of a connection with the Republic of Ireland) and British protected persons lose British nationality upon acquiring any other form of nationality.

text:
These provisions do not apply to British citizens.
British Overseas Territories citizens (BOTCs) who acquire another nationality do not lose their BOTC status but they may be liable to lose belonger status in their home territory under its immigration laws. Such persons are advised to contact the governor of that territory for information.
British Overseas citizens (BOCs) do not lose their BOC status upon acquisition of another citizenship but any entitlement to registration as a British citizen on the grounds of having no other nationality no longer exist after acquiring another citizenship.

text: Revocation of British nationality[edit]

text: Under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, people with dual nationality who are British nationals can be deprived of their British citizenship if the Secretary of State is satisfied that "deprivation is conducive to the public good"; there is a right of appeal.[43] This provision has been in force since 16 June 2006 when the Immigration, Nationality and Asylum Act 2006 (Commencement No 1) Order 2006 came into force.[44] Loss of British nationality in this way applies to people born in the UK as British citizens and who also hold another nationality.[43][45] As the provision applies only to dual nationals, its application cannot render a person stateless.

text: The Home Office does not issue information on these cases and is resistant to answering questions,[43] for example under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.[46] As of 15 July 2013[update] at least 17 people had been deprived of their British citizenship, in most cases on the recommendation of MI5. It appears that the government usually waits until the person has left Britain, then sends a warning notice to their British home and signs a deprivation order a day or two later.[43] Appeals are heard at the highly secretive Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), where the government can submit evidence that cannot be seen or challenged by the appellant.[43]

text: Previously since 2003 under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, British nationals could be deprived of their citizenship only if the Secretary of State was satisfied they were responsible for acts seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the United Kingdom or an Overseas Territory.

text: British nationals who are naturalised or registered may lose British nationality if it was obtained by fraud or concealment of a material fact. The nationality laws of the US, Canada and Australia have similar provisions to revoke local nationality from citizens who gained such citizenship via naturalisation.

text: Multiple nationality and multiple citizenship[edit]

text: Since the British Nationality Act of 1948, there is in general no restriction in UK law on a British national holding citizenship of other countries.

text: Different rules apply to British protected persons and certain British subjects. A person who is a British subject other than by connection with the Republic of Ireland loses that status on acquiring any other nationality or citizenship, and a British protected person ceases to be such on acquiring any other nationality or citizenship. Although British Overseas citizens are not subject to loss of citizenship, British Overseas citizens may lose an entitlement to register as a British citizen under s4B of the 1981 Act if they acquire any other citizenship.

text: A number of other countries do not allow multiple citizenship. If a person has British nationality and is also a national of a country that does not allow dual nationality, the authorities of that country may regard the person as having lost that nationality or may refuse to recognise the British nationality. British nationals who acquire the nationality of a country that does not allow dual nationality may be required by the other country to renounce British nationality to retain the other citizenship. None of this affects a person's national status under UK law.

text: Under the international Master Nationality Rule a state may not give diplomatic protection to one of its nationals with dual nationality in a country where the person also holds citizenship.

text: A British subject who acquired foreign citizenship by naturalisation before 1949 were deemed to have lost his or her British subject status at the time[citation needed]. No specific provisions were made in the 1948 legislation for such former British subjects to acquire or otherwise resume British nationality, and hence such a person would not be a British citizen today. However, women who lost British nationality on marriage to a foreign man before 1949 were deemed to have reacquired British subject status immediately before the coming into force of the 1948 act.

text: The UK is a signatory to the Convention on the Reduction of Cases of Multiple Nationality and on Military Obligations in Cases of Multiple Nationality (1963 Strasbourg Convention). Chapter 1 requires that persons naturalised by another European member country automatically forfeit their original nationality[47] but the UK ratified only Chapter 2, so the convention does not limit the ability of British citizens to become dual citizens of other European countries.[48]

text: British citizenship ceremonies[edit]

text: From 1 January 2004, all new applicants for British citizenship by naturalisation or registration aged 18 or over if their application is successful must attend a citizenship ceremony and either make an affirmation or take an oath of allegiance to the monarch, and make a pledge to the UK.

text: Citizenship ceremonies are normally organised by:

text:
local councils in England, Scotland, and Wales
the Northern Ireland Office
the governments of the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey
the Governors of British Overseas Territories
British consular offices outside the United Kingdom and territories.

text: Persons from the Republic of Ireland born before 1949 reclaiming British subject status under section 31 of the 1981 Act do not need to attend a citizenship ceremony. If such a person subsequently applies for British citizenship by registration or naturalisation, attendance at a ceremony is required.

text: For those who applied for British citizenship before 2004:

text:
the oath of allegiance was administered privately through signing a witnessed form in front of a solicitor or other accredited person
those who already held British nationality (other than British protected persons) were exempt, as were those citizens of countries with the Queen as Head of State (such as Australia and Canada).

text: Citizenship of the European Union[edit]

text:
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Declaration by the United Kingdom on 31 December 1982 on the definition of the term “nationals”

text: British nationals who are "United Kingdom nationals for European Union purposes", namely:

text:
British citizens;
British subjects with the right of abode; and
British Overseas Territories citizens connected to Gibraltar

text: have become citizens of the European Union under European Union law and enjoy rights of free movement and the right to vote in elections for the European Parliament.[49] When in a non-EU country where there is no British embassy, British citizens have the right to get consular protection from the embassy of any other EU country present in that country.[50][51] British citizens can live and work in any country within the EU as a result of the right of free movement and residence granted in Article 21 of the EU Treaty.[52]

text: By virtue of a special provision in the UK Accession Treaty, British citizens who are connected with the Channel Islands and Isle of Man (i.e. "Channel Islanders and Manxmen") do not have the right to live in other European Union countries (except the Republic of Ireland through the long-established Common Travel Area) unless they have connections through descent or residence in the United Kingdom.

text: Statistics on British Citizenship: 1998 to 2009[edit]

text: The Home Office Research and Statistics Division publishes an annual report with statistics on grants of British citizenship broken down by type and former nationality. Since 2003, the report has also included research on take-up rates for British citizenship.

text: Travel freedom of British citizens[edit]

text: Visa requirements for British citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the United Kingdom. In 2017, British citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 173 countries and territories, ranking the British passport 4th in terms of travel freedom (tied with Austrian, Belgian, Dutch, French, Luxembourgish, Norwegian and Singaporean passports) according to the Henley visa restrictions index.[53] Additionally, the World Tourism Organization also published a report on 15 January 2016 ranking the British passport 1st in the world (tied with Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Singapore) in terms of travel freedom, with a mobility index of 160 (out of 215 with no visa weighted by 1, visa on arrival weighted by 0.7, eVisa by 0.5, and traditional visa weighted by 0).[54]

text: Visa requirements for other classes of British nationals such as British Nationals (Overseas), British Overseas Citizens, British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Protected Persons or British Subjects are different.