Apply for citizenship if you were born in the UK
Who can apply
You may be eligible to apply to 鈥榬egister鈥� as a British citizen if you were born in the UK. It depends on when you were born and your parents鈥� circumstances.
This is one way to apply for British citizenship. Check if you鈥檙e eligible to apply another way - including through the Windrush scheme.
You were born on or after 1 January 1983
You may be eligible if either:
- you鈥檙e under 18 and since your birth one of your parents became a British citizen, or got permission to stay in the UK permanently
- you lived in the UK until you were 10 or older
When you do not need to apply
驰辞耻鈥檙别 usually automatically a British citizen if you were both:
- born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983
- born when one of your parents was a British citizen or 鈥榮ettled鈥� in the UK
You can apply for a UK passport instead, or .
If you live in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory, there鈥檚 a different way to get a letter confirming your citizenship.
You were born before 1983
驰辞耻鈥檙别 automatically a British citizen if you were born in the UK before 1 January 1983, unless:
- your father was a diplomat working for a non-UK country
- your father was 鈥榓n enemy alien in occupation鈥� and you were born in the Channel Islands during World War 2
You can apply for a UK passport instead, or .
If you live in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory, there鈥檚 a different way to get a letter confirming your citizenship.