Regions of England/ British Citizenship by Descent

Thanks, yeah I checked that site today and looked over the application I am to fill out. A few things are a little confusing but I'll ask my parents to help me out with it or something. It shouldn't be a problem to get both long form birth certificates and I'll have to ask my parents if they have their marriage certificate, which I'm sure they have somewhere. I think it was you that had mentioned I don't need to send in a British passport from my dad because he doesn't have it. That's fine, right? People have been saying he doesn't actually need to have one, just proof he was born in the UK which I'm counting on. I don't want to get denied or anything. In the worst case he'd just have to apply for one himself which would probably be an easier process than me.

Thanks so much to everyone for their help! I really appreciate this forum and how incredibly helpful and supportive everyone on here is

Portico - your post is really helpful. I've assembled all of the documents you mentioned but I have one question: do I need to provide my Canadian passport with the application, or will a photocopy suffice? I need to travel to France in March but would like to submit my application before then, and I don't want to risk cancelling my trip should I not get my passport back in time.

A notarized copy of the photo page was sufficient when I did this 4 years ago. I did NOT have to submit my passport.

That's good to know. Do I need to contact the British High Commission in Ottawa to register as a British citizen or can I go to the British Consulate in Toronto? I'm a lot closer to TO but I heard that eventually you need to go to Ottawa for the swearing-in ceremony.

Why do you want to register? Sorry, I haven't been reading all the posts.

No, that ceremony is for people who are not citizens. You are already a citizen, so you wont be doing that.

Well I want to get my dual citizenship because I'm waiting on a job I applied to through my program at school and it's in Scotland. I don't believe I am a citizen yet, I just have a claim to become one (I think).

NATCAT--m'dear--this has all been explained to you before.

I think the problem is that:

1. You don't know what citizenship means

2. You don't know what a passport is

You need to get this shit down. Why go through all this if you don't know what you are trying to achieve?

Krystina, I know what citizenship and passports are; what I'm not clear on and what I can find on NO government websites is simply where to go and acquire this citizenship that I have a claim to. You said previously that I am already a citizen but I am not. My father was born in Britain; he's automatically a citizen but has nothing to show for it, so he needs some kind of certificate most likely. As far as I know I am not automatically a citizen, and if I am, I don't know where to go to get the proper papers for it so I can apply for a passport. It's a simple question and nowhere that me or my family can find has the answer. I'm going to call the British consulate in Toronto sometime this week and ask them if I can just go there.

I don't know what you're trying to say in the last part of your message. I know what I'm trying to achieve; I don't think you understand but I hope that I make myself clear in this post. Please don't base your opinion on my previous posts. I was confused between the ancestry visa and an actual citizenship but that's all cleared up, and I realized it was an obvious distinction, haha.

So to sum it up, I know I can get a dual citizenship, I just don't know where or how to get it. This was not explained before, all that was explained was that I am eligible for it. Grr it seems so simple but the actual method of getting it is REALLY frustrating!!

So to sum it up, I know I can get a dual citizenship, I just don't know where or how to get it. This was not explained before, all that was explained was that I am eligible for it. Grr it seems so simple but the actual method of getting it is REALLY frustrating!!

its been explained throughout these threads four pages.

For your situation 'citizenship by descent' through your father (on the basis you meet the requirements - see bottom page 3), simply apply for the British passport - it will come to you.

Thats about as British citizen as you'd get - inside the passport is printed the holder is a British citizen', just like the Canadian passport that has inside on the ugly face page, identifying the holder is a Canadian citizen.

No, you wont get a British citizenship certificate (the passport is it), you wont have to apply for or be registered as one of a British parent in the case of UKM.

Once you have that British passport, thats the documented proof that you are a British citizen.

Acquired citizenship by descent through the paternal line, British passport - thats about it, not really that frustrating eh!

It does seem simple from your point of view. The fact is that my dad's parents were refugees from the war and there has been some restrictions as to if he still qualifies because the parents weren't citizens and had to report to authorities every 6 months or so.

Also, the passport application has sections for registration numbers and all that and my dad obviously doesn't have one. The only thing I could do (and it probably won't even work) is apply for the passport, leave EVERYTHING to do with the citizenship blank (since there's nothing I can fill in anyway) and just attach the copy of the birth certificate. I can't see that working but that's the only thing to do right now except for spend months trying to contact the British authorities then find out he doesn't qualify.

I can see that you think that just because he was born there means he's automatically a citizen, no question. That's in fact not entirely true. According to my dad, there's about 6 exclusions. The only way I'm going to find out is from him calling the British Border Agency or whatever. I really hope it works.