What “by descent” means
Someone born abroad to a British parent may be British “by descent”. The key difference is between a citizen “by descent” and a citizen “otherwise than by descent”. A person who is British by descent generally cannot pass on citizenship automatically to a child born abroad. A person who is British otherwise than by descent, for example one born in the UK or naturalised here, can. That one distinction decides most cases.
When citizenship is automatic
Where a parent is British otherwise than by descent when the child is born abroad, the child is usually British by descent from birth, if born on or after 1 January 1983. The child is not British automatically if the parent was British only by descent, unless the parent was serving the Crown overseas (or in some similar service) at the time, or the child qualifies on another basis. Children born before 1 January 1983 followed different rules, and until that date British mothers could not pass on citizenship to children born abroad, although fathers could.
When you must register
If your parent was British by descent, or if the rules at the time of your birth did not give you citizenship, you may still have a right to register, or a claim for discretionary registration. Common examples include:
- A parent who lived in the UK for three years before the birth. A child born abroad to a parent who is British by descent can be registered if that parent lived in the UK for a continuous three years before the child’s birth, and the child, or the parent, meets the other conditions.
- The pre-1983 mother’s rule. People born abroad before 1 January 1983 to a British mother, who would have been British had mothers been able to pass on citizenship, can register under provisions that were introduced to correct the discrimination.
- Children of unmarried British fathers. Before 1 July 2006 an unmarried father could not pass on citizenship in the same way. Provisions now allow some children to register.
- Discretion. Where none of the routes fits but there is a compelling reason, the Home Secretary has discretion to register a child under 18.
These routes turn on dates, marriages and how each ancestor acquired citizenship, so each case is examined from the documents.
Tracing the line
Most descent cases require a chain of records: your birth certificate, your parent’s, your grandparent’s and, where it matters, marriage certificates, and evidence of how each person became British: a birth in the UK, a naturalisation certificate, a registration certificate or a passport. Gaps are common, and can often be filled from archives and the Home Office’s own records. We build the family tree, work out which provision applies, and prepare the registration application with the supporting records.
Cost
The fee to register an adult is £1,540, plus £130 for the ceremony, and the fee for a child under 18 is £1,000 (fees from 8 October 2026). See our fees page and registering a child as a British citizen.
Then, a passport
Once registered, you can apply for a British passport. See British passports. A person who is British by descent should keep the evidence of their status, because their own children born abroad may need it to claim.
How we help
We assess your claim, collect the records, and prepare the application. If you are not entitled to register, we advise on alternatives, such as settlement and naturalisation. See born in the UK: are you a British citizen? Book a consultation below.
