Right of Abode - Timing of Birth

mills.lesley
New Member



Joined: 21 Aug 2008
Posts: 2

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:24 pm

 

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I'm sure this is a repeat, but I figured why not ask again!

I am Canadian. My dad was born in the UK in 1954 and I was born in Canada in 1976.

Does that mean I'm entitled to Right of Abode?


It can't be that simple, can it?

So, here's a little twist. At some point, my dad "gave up" his British citizenship and settled on the Canadian one. He doesn't remember if it was before or after I was born.

Did my dad have to have been a British citizen at the time of my birth for me to qualify? Or is that inconsequential?

I mean if it doesn't matter, then I won't need go through the bother of trying to piece together the timeline.


Thanks all for your help!

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cordobaman
Senior Member



Joined: 27 Apr 2008
Posts: 88
Location: Edinburgh Scotland; formerly North Bay ON

Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:12 am

 

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As far as I know in my research, you are still entitled to the Right of Abode- your dad was still born in the UK and as long as you have a long form birth certificate to prove it, you should be fine. However when I read the link, it still seems a little unclear to me with the mention of British citizen and a Commonwealth citizen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_of_abode_(United_Kingdom)

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chubber
Junior Member



Joined: 01 May 2008
Posts: 12

Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:10 pm

 

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Check your birth certificate long form. it should tell nationality of your father when born. Much easier process than others.

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mills.lesley
New Member



Joined: 21 Aug 2008
Posts: 2

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 11:13 pm

 

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Thanks for the input guys, I'll look into it!

As for my birth certificate, it's (unfortunately ) American, since I was born in Atlanta.

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cordobaman
Senior Member



Joined: 27 Apr 2008
Posts: 88
Location: Edinburgh Scotland; formerly North Bay ON

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 6:27 pm

 

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As long as the Ancestry rules apply to Americans I guess, unless you are a Canadian citizen now, you should be OK.

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lynndyhop
Senior Member



Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 79
Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:01 am

 

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The other clincher, is that the parents need to be married when you were born - not sure why they introduced that, but, thems the rules.

As for the American thing, my understanding is as long as your are a commonwealth citizen, and they determine citizenship by the fact that your dad was born there - I'm over here on Right of Abode and I had the same concern as you do - so I phoned the British High Commission in the UK and they directly answered all my questions - long hold time, but well worth the wait once I got through to someone. Here's the wepage with the phone number:

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizen.../righttoliveinuk/

Hope that helps!
_________________
Lynndyhop.

I'm not an American! I am a Canadian. I come from a "nice", thoroughly unrealistic country.

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