British National (Overseas) visa
Becoming a British citizen
If you’re a British national (overseas), you can usually apply for British citizenship 1 year after you settle in the UK (get ‘indefinite leave to remain’).
Your family members
Your child is a British citizen if both:
- they were born in the UK
- you were a British citizen or settled in the UK (had ‘indefinite leave to remain’) when they were born
Partners and adult relatives
Your partner and adult relatives can apply for British citizenship by ‘naturalisation’ 1 year after you settle in the UK (‘get indefinite leave to remain’).
If your child aged 18 or over was born in the UK and you were not settled in the UK when they were born, they may be able to apply for British citizenship. They need to have lived in the UK until they were 10 years old.
Children under 18
If your child was born outside the UK and comes to the UK with you, you can apply to register a child as a British citizen (Form MN1).
If your child was born in the UK and you were not settled in the UK when they were born, they may be able to apply for British citizenship.