Do I need a British Passport?

Hi,
I'm a South African in England, but my father and his parents are British and my mother's parents are British. Basically, I am being told by my parents that I don't need a British passport because I am actually entitled to live and work here as I actually come from a British family. However, I am actually struggling to get anywhere because I always get asked for a passport, especially when trying to get a job. They say all I need is my birth certificate, but I don't see what good that will do since it only states that I was born on another continent!! Please tell me I am not wrong on this, that I actually need a passport, and tell my parents why they are wrong if I am right. I don't even have the money to get one myself, I am totally dependant on them and need them to pay for it for me :(

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.

Regards

Pferdefan

You can apply for British citizenship. But as you were born in SA, you are first and foremost a SA citizen. Whether dual natinality is possible in ths case, sorry I don't know.
For British citizenship, you need the birth and marriage certificates of both your parents, and all your grandparents. The application takes a while. Actually as a South African citizen you technically need a Visa ( or if you want to work, a Working Visa) to be in the Uk if you are over 18. Under 18 then you are covered by your parents citizenship.

LEEDS_guy

I think as ;long as you have legal rights to live here, permanent residence then yes you don't acquire a passport but I would seriously recommend that you make one because you will be more favoured with a British passport when applying for work and why does your family keep saying you don't need one, something doesn't seem to be right here? you are entitled to a british passport so make one, you will need to pass the life in the uk exam before applying thank you and good luck

KayB

You can apply for an Ancestral Visa, I had a similar situation with regards to my parents being British and i am from Zim originally. The Visa lasts about 5 years.
You will need to go to the Embassy if you are in South Africa and apply there and will need your parents details as well as your grand parents possibly and yours, ie original birth certificates and passports.
In the UK you can phone up the Home Office and ask them to send you a pack with the correct application papers and all the info will be in there. But if you are already living in the country you are probably allowed to work anyway and might be able to apply for citizenship. But it is quite expensive as in around Â£900.

I worked and lived happily for 5 years on my ancestral Visa then became a Citizen and a few of my mates from SA have done the same thing and they didn't have british parents.

Hope it helps, good luck.

legaladvisor4u

You have two separate issues at hand - first regarding your British nationality and second regarding a proof of it to show it to your employer.

Since your father is a British citizen, you are a born citizen of UK under the British Nationality law made effective from 1 January, 1983.

However, as a proof of your British nationality, you need a British Passport. So ask your parents to get you one. They are doing you a great disservice if they don't get you your passport in their lifetime as it will become much more difficult for you to get your passport after they are gone.

bob t

Talk to immigration

froggequene

You're correct all your birth cert proves is you were born in South Africa it doesn't prove you are a British citizen or have the right to British citizenship - in fact I would imagine if you present a South African birth cert they'll ask to see your South African passport & the visa that allows you to live & work in the UK

You need the passport in order to prove you are a citizen and have the right to live & work in the UK

If your parents aren't prepared to help you get a passport then you'll have to carry copies not only of your birth cert but their marriage certificate & one of their birth certs to prove that under British law you are a citizen by descent

Your parents are also assuming a lot - were your parents actually born in the UK? You can only be a citizen by descent if they were born in the UK. If they weren't born in the UK but are citizens by descent themselves they can't pass citzienship to you if all 3 of you were born in South Africa.

Donna

Just because your father is a British citizen, does not necessarily mean you are. If he is British not by decent, then he can pass it on to you. If he is British by decent, then he can't.

Just having a British family does not automatically give you the right to live and work in the UK. If you are entitled to British citizenship, then you need to formalize it. The easiest way to do this is via a passport. Your parents are right about that.

If you feel guilty about them paying for your passport, then as soon as you get a job pay them back. Problem solved.

Donna

kwadwo

i was born in the uk to ghanaian parents and have a british birth certificate.am currently in ghana can i apply for a uk passport?

kamal.chhatwal@bcbsfl.com

I am a british citizen living in USA. I was born in E. Africa in 1957 and need to obtain a copy of my birth certificate. Who do I need to contact?

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