Forum Immigration UK

[pipof]

I was born in London 23 years ago . I'm living in Spain since I was two years old . Mi parents got married and divorced later . My father is originally english and my mother is spanish . I want to come back to UK. My question is, Am I still a british citizen?

[ladyjulian]

Yes, as long as your parents were married at the time of your birth.

[pipof]

I was born in London 23 years ago . I'm living in Spain since I was two years old . Mi parents got married and divorced later . My father is originally english and my mother is spanish . I want to come back to UK. My question is, Am I still a british citizen?

I was told that if a father recognized as his soon the child that is enough to be a citizen . The marriage is not important

[ladyjulian]

The UKBA site is contradictory. I know the law changed in 2006 to allow an unmarried British father to pass on his nationality even if the mother was not British, and that children will be registered regardless of whether the parents were married. That's all set out in the "children" section but you're not a child. The adults section doesn't make any mention of adults born prior to the law change in 2006. You might want to phone the Identity & Passport Service who will be able to confirm it for you.

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-p ... odies/ips/

[pipof]

What do you mean when you say that my parents had to be married at the time of my birth?

My parents got married twelve days after my birth and I have my birth certificate from UK, because I was born in London

The problem is that since I left U.K I haven´t been able to go back there since I was two years old. I don´t know if I have to renew my passport and nationality too.

[ladyjulian]

If your parents were unmarried at the time of your birth, and you were born before 2006, you couldn't take your father's nationality.

BUT the law changed in 2006 to say that you could, and that children born before this could now be registered.

You'd need to talk to the IPS to find out if this also applies to adults - I imagine it must.

What do you mean by renewing your nationality? Have you ever held a British passport, even as a child? If so then you are definitely British and can just get another.

Where you've lived since being born isn't really relevant - it's the circumstances at the time of your birth that say whether you are automatically British or not.