British Citizenship by Descent: Eligibility, Application & 2026 Fees

You can become a British national even if you were not born in the UK or if your parents were not citizens themselves.

You can be a British citizen otherwise than by descent by:

• British citizenship by birth
• Adoption
• Registration
• British naturalisation
• British citizenship by marriage

You may be eligible for British citizenship by descent if you:

• Are born outside the UK to a parent who was a British citizen otherwise than by descent
• Were born or adopted in the UK before 1 January 1983, you are likely a British citizen otherwise than by descent under the transitional provisions of the British Nationality Act 1981.
• Were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983 to a mother or, if your parents were married, a father who was already a British national or settled person
• Were born in the UK on or after 1 July 2006 and either of your parents was a British citizen or settled person
• Applied for citizenship in your own right, seeking naturalisation or registering as a UK national

If you were born outside of the UK on or after the 1st July 2006, you will automatically have British citizenship if the following criteria apply to you:

• Either your mother or father were a British citizen at the time of your birth
• They were eligible to pass their citizenship on to you

They will be eligible if any of the following criteria apply:

• They were either born or adopted in the UK
• They gained British citizenship through naturalisation (rather than through descent)
• They were working as a Crown servant at the time of your birth (e.g. in the armed forces, diplomatic service, or oversees civil service)

Even if you are not automatically a British citizen, you may still be eligible to apply for British citizenship if you satisfy any of the following criteria:

• You have lived in the UK with your parents. For this criterion to apply, you must:
  • Be under 18
  • Have a mother or father who had British citizenship at the time of your birth
  • Have lived in the UK with your parents for at least 3 years when you submit your application
• Your British parent was living in the UK before your birth. For this criterion to apply, you will need to satisfy each of the following conditions:
  • You are under 18
  • You have a parent who was a British citizen at the time of your birth
  • Your British parent was living in the UK for at least 3 years before your birth
  • They did not spend more than 270 days outside of the UK during that 3-year period
  • They had a British parent who was eligible to pass British citizenship down to them, for example if one of the following applied:
    • Their British parent was born in the UK
    • Their British parent gained British citizenship through naturalisation
    • Their British parent was working as a Crown servant at the time of your birth (e.g. in the armed forces, diplomatic service, or oversees civil service)
• Your adoption took place outside of the UK
• Your father had British citizenship or indefinite leave to remain at the time of your birth and your mother was married to someone else

The rules of British citizenship by descent are often confusing and vary significantly based on your specific circumstances. Contact London Immigration Lawyers today on 0204 502 8582 to confirm your eligibility and learn how we can help.

If you were born outside of the UK between 1983 and June 2006, you will automatically have British citizenship if all of the following criteria apply to you:

• Either your mother or father had British citizenship at the time of your birth (note that, if your father had British citizenship when you were born but your mother did not, your parents must have been married in order for this criterion to apply)
• Your British parent was eligible to pass down their British citizenship to you. To be eligible, they will need to satisfy one of the following criteria:
  • They were born or adopted in the UK
  • They gained British citizenship through naturalisation (rather than through descent)
  • They were working as a Crown servant at the time of your birth (e.g. in the armed forces, diplomatic service, or oversees civil service)

Note that, if you do not automatically have British citizenship because your father was not married to your mother at the time of your birth, you may still be eligible to apply for British citizenship if one of the following conditions applies:

• Your father was born or adopted within the UK
• He gained British citizenship through naturalisation (rather than through descent)
• He was working as a Crown servant at the time of your birth (e.g. in the armed forces, diplomatic service, or oversees civil service)

If you were born outside of the UK before 1983, you may automatically be a British citizen via descent if you were born outside of the UK to a British father. In order for you to be eligible, the following criteria will need to apply:

• Your father was a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies at the time of your birth
• He was married to your mother
• He was eligible to pass his citizenship to you. In order to be eligible, he will need to satisfy the following criteria:
  • He was born or adopted within the UK
  • He gained British citizenship through naturalisation (rather than through descent)
  • He was working as a Crown servant at the time of your birth (e.g. in the armed forces, diplomatic service, or oversees civil service)

Even if you are not automatically a citizen, you may still be eligible to apply for British citizenship in either of the following circumstances:

• Your parents were unmarried at the time of your birth
• Your mother had British citizenship but your father did not

Those who successfully applied for UK naturalisation become British citizens. Their children are automatically British, whether they were born in the UK or abroad. However, British citizens by descent are born outside the UK and acquired their status through one or both of their parents, who were British nationals. Subsequently, they cannot automatically pass on citizenship to any of their children who are born abroad.

Citizenship by double descent refers to situations where you have at least one British grandparent and seek to obtain citizenship on that basis. According to Home Office statistics, the UK granted over 230,000 grants of citizenship in 2023 — yet applications specifically via the double descent route represent a small fraction of this total, reflecting how complex and rarely successful this route is. The vast majority of successful claims come through direct parental descent.

In general, the UK does not offer a direct route to British citizenship by double descent, as British citizenship by descent is generally passed down via British parents. As your parents’ citizenship status at the time of your birth will determine your own route to British citizenship by descent, the citizenship status of your grandparent(s) may become relevant, however. British citizenship by double descent is rare and complex, especially for applications on the paternal side, and for Commonwealth citizens. IAS lawyers can help you explore alternatives, including the UK Ancestry visa.

If you have a grandparent who satisfies one of the following conditions, you may be eligible for a British Ancestry visa (not the same thing as British citizenship). The eligible conditions for this visa are as follows:

• Your grandparent was born in the UK, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man
• They were born before the 31st March 1922, in Ireland
• They were born on either a ship or aircraft which was registered in the UK or was the property of the UK government

If you or your parents were adopted and your grandparents or parents were not married, you may be eligible for this visa. You will also need to be 17 or over, have sufficient means to support yourself and any dependants, and plan to work in the UK.

Note that UK ancestry cannot be claimed via step-parents.

The Ancestry visa provides a route to permanent settlement in the UK. In order to be eligible, you will need to live legally and continuously in the UK for at least 5 years. Once you have obtained permanent settlement status, you will then have a route to British citizenship via naturalisation.

If you are applying for British citizenship by descent, there are a number of steps which you will be required to take. These are generally as follows:

First, you should gather the necessary documents required for your application. These should be submitted in English or Welsh. Failure to submit all of the required documents is likely to result in delays or in an unsuccessful application.

Most applications are submitted online through the UK government portal. If applying by post, the submission address depends on your specific registration form. Always check the current guidance accompanying your form for the correct postal address before submitting.

You will also need to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) centre, where you will need to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and photograph, specifically). You can also have your supporting documents scanned at this appointment, or you can instead upload copies as part of your online application.

Once you have completed the necessary steps, your application will then be processed. You should expect to receive a decision on your application within 6 months, although this can take longer if further information is requested as part of your application. In the event that your application processing is set to take longer than 6 months, you will be informed of this before the initial 6 months processing time has passed.

If your application is successful, you will then generally need to attend a citizenship ceremony, after which you will officially be granted British citizenship.

Note that, in cases where you automatically have British citizenship, you will not need to submit an application. The details of scenarios in which you are likely to have British citizenship automatically are detailed earlier in this article.

To learn more about whether you are already a British citizen or whether you will need to submit an application, contact London Immigration Lawyers today on 0204 502 8582.

If you are applying for British citizenship by descent, there are a number of fees which you will need to pay. Firstly, you will need to pay an application fee, which costs £1,540 if you are an adult and £1,000 if you are a child. You will also generally need to pay a fee for your citizenship ceremony, which costs £130.

Note that, if you obtain British citizenship, you will not need to pay the immigration health surcharge in order to use the NHS. This is because your British citizenship status will automatically entitle you to NHS treatment.

Some applicants also choose to pay for legal assistance in order to help streamline their citizenship application process. Contact us today on 0204 502 8582 to learn more about our full range of services.

Yes, you can get Scottish citizenship through descent. Scotland does not have separate citizenship laws. As the Home Office confirms, citizenship in the United Kingdom — including Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland — is governed by the British Nationality Act 1981. There is no distinct Scottish nationality in law.

This means that if you are applying on the basis of Scottish parents, you would still need to apply for British citizenship, and would obtain British citizenship upon a successful application. You would receive all the benefits associated with British citizenship, including the right to participate in British elections and apply for a UK visa.

Note that, in the event that Scotland obtains independence from the rest of the UK, the rules surrounding Scottish citizenship through descent would be subject to change. However, there are no imminent plans for Scottish independence. As it stands, individuals of Scottish descent should apply for British citizenship more generally.

Yes, once you obtain British citizenship you will be eligible to apply for a British passport, regardless of your route to British citizenship. However, note that a passport is not granted automatically upon obtaining British citizenship; you will need to apply separately.

You can apply for a British passport either online, via the UK government website, or by post. Applications generally take 3 weeks to process, though this can vary based on how many other applications are being processed at the same time. If you are asked to provide any further information, you should make sure to do so promptly in order to avoid delays.

Once you obtain your British passport, you will gain visa-free access to many global locations, an important benefit of UK citizenship. You will also be able to use your passport as evidence of your citizenship status and as proof of identity when voting in UK elections.

British citizenship brings a number of advantages, including the ability to participate in UK elections and to travel to many exciting global locations without needing a visa. As such, many individuals of British descent choose to apply for British citizenship.

However, the immigration rules surrounding British citizenship are complicated and vary significantly based on when you were born and your parents’ citizenship status. As such, it can often be difficult to ascertain whether you already have British citizenship or if you are eligible to apply. At London Immigration Lawyers, our legal experts have many years of experience in providing bespoke advice on cases exactly like this. We provide a wide range of services designed to ensure that your citizenship application runs as smoothly as possible.

If you are interested in learning more about our full range of packages, contact us today on 0204 502 8582.