Check if you're a British citizen

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Born in the UK between 1 January 1983 and 1 October 2000

Whether you’re a British citizen depends on where your parents were from and their circumstances. There are different rules if, when you were born:

  • at least one of your parents was a British or Irish citizen
  • at least one of your parents was a citizen of an EU or EEA country
  • neither of your parents was a British, Irish, EU or EEA citizen

You’re automatically a British citizen if you were adopted by a British citizen in a UK court.

If at least one of your parents was a British or Irish citizen when you were born

You’ll be a British citizen if when you were born at least one of your parents was either:

  • a British citizen
  • an Irish citizen living in the UK

If the parent that meets these conditions is your father, he must have been married to your mother when you were born.

If at least one of your parents was a citizen of an EU or EEA country when you were born

You’re automatically a British citizen if when you were born at least one of your parents was both:

  • a citizen of a country that was in the EU or the EEA at the time
  • living in the UK with free movement rights

If the parent that meets these conditions is your father, he must have been married to your mother when you were born.

Countries that were in the EU or EEA between 1 January 1983 and 1 October 2000 (other than the UK and Ireland)

Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and The Netherlands were in the EU by 1 January 1983.

Greece was in the EU by 1983 but Greek citizens did not get full free movement rights until 1 January 1988.

Although Portugal and Spain became EU members on 1 January 1986, their citizens did not get full free movement rights until 1 January 1992.

Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden joined the EEA on 1 January 1994.

Liechtenstein joined the EEA on 1 May 1995.

If your parents were not British, Irish, EU or EEA citizens when you were born

You’re only automatically a British citizen if when you were born at least one of your parents lived in the UK and had one of the following immigration statuses:

  • indefinite leave to remain (ILR)
  • right of abode
  • right of re-admission

If the parent that meets these conditions is your father, he must have been married to your mother when you were born.

You can check if your parents had ILR, right of abode or right to re-admission.

View a printable version of the whole guide

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