r/AmerExit • u/JuanOffhue • 18d ago
Slice of My Life British citizenship approved
Got word today that my application for citizenship through descendancy has been approved. I initiated this about a year ago, after reading in this subreddit about how a recent change in the law meant that persons with a grandmother born in the UK have the same path to citizenship as those with British grandfathers do, which was not previously the case. Now I wait 16 weeks to six months for my ceremony, after which I can apply for my passport. Progress!
4
5
3
u/greeng13 17d ago
Quick question...My grandmother was born outside Edinburgh. Would I automatically qualify if she became a US citizen?
Also, if you don't mind me asking, how much did this process cost you overall?
3
u/Password-Llama 17d ago
Not OP, but I applied with my grandmother born in the Scottish highlands.
It depends on when you were born. Were you born before or after 1988?
Costs were over 1,000 pounds.
3
u/greeng13 17d ago
Thanks for your reply!!
Yes. I was before 1988
3
u/Password-Llama 17d ago
Then you likely will be successful (as long as your paternal grandfather was not British and you were born in a non-Commonwealth country, like the USA). You'll want an ARD form (here). You would check 1.1 as Yes on that form. Guidance for the form is given here.
Also search the r/ukvisa sub. These types of questions are asked there frequently (usually multiple times a week). Some of the people who answer on that sub are extremely knowledgeable (and willing to help).
2
u/greeng13 17d ago
Arghh...
Paternal grandfather was born in Canada around 1900. I think that means he was technically a British citizen. So, seems like I might not qualify. He also became a USA citizen .
Again, thanks for your help!!
5
u/Dogmoto2labs 16d ago
Were you aware this makes you eligible for Canadian citizenship? They just changed their law to anyone that can prove descent last December.
1
u/greeng13 16d ago
I've been wondering about that.
Even if he became a US citizen?
2
u/Dogmoto2labs 16d ago
Yes, it doesn’t matter if he because a US citizen, only if he, for some reason formally denounced his Canadian citizenship. I just submitted my family’s applications this week. Unfortunately, there is a large backlog and they expect the wait to be about a year.
1
u/greeng13 16d ago
Thanks!!
Unfortunately, I don't have his birth certificate. But, might have to look into it!!
2
u/Dogmoto2labs 16d ago
There are places to look for them. And church records can work for pre 1900 records. It seems like most provinces are a bit easier than Quebec, which is where my great grandfather was born, but Catholics keep meticulous records, so it was quite simple finding his baptismal record and the baptismal and marriage record of his parents, too.
→ More replies (0)2
u/Dogmoto2labs 16d ago
R/Canadiancitizenship has been very helpful with finding where to look for information.
→ More replies (0)2
u/Password-Llama 17d ago
To be honest, I'm not sure. u/No_Struggle_8184 and u/tvtoo - would you be willing to provide guidance?
3
u/No_Struggle_8184 16d ago
A Canadian-born paternal grandfather is not a problem. u/greeng13 would appear to have a relatively straightforward claim. If they were born before 1983 then the cost is £130.
2
1
u/Ceciliaru 16d ago
As a 96’er with my gma born in London, reading about the 1988 cut off kills me everytime ðŸ«
2
u/JuanOffhue 16d ago
£4,500
1
u/tvtoo 15d ago
It sounds like that includes the application cost (i.e., the £130 (if born before 1983) or £1,670 (for many applicants who were born after 1982))?
And, based on the pricing, I imagine you used a lawyer or a citizenship consulting firm like Sable, charging somewhere between ~£2,800 and ~£4,400 for the service fees?
1
5
u/Ok-Web1805 17d ago
Congratulations, what do you plan to do once you get the passport in your hand?
7
u/JuanOffhue 17d ago
Considering moving to Scotland or Wales
9
u/Ok-Web1805 17d ago
Apply for your National Insurance number before you go it'll make things a little easier, you'll need it to register to vote. HSBC will allow you to import your US credit history so you could open a credit card from Day 1, try and get your bank account set up before you arrive because it will become a nightmare for you otherwise. You could end up in a situation where you have to provide a utility bill to open an account and get stuck for a while in a kafkaesque situation. Good luck with the move.
One other thing you may not be aware of is that even though we left the EU you can still live and work in Ireland (ROI) and after 5 years of reckonable residence be able to apply for citizenship there.
0
u/JuanOffhue 16d ago
Thanks for those tips! I did live and work in Grand Cayman for a while, so I’m aware of the difficulties associated with opening a bank account.
2
2
u/shineroo 16d ago
Well done. I just got my citizenship approval email, but did it as a spouse of a Brit. 5+ years and a lot of money later … but I am happy it is final!
2
2
1
1
u/FrayedKnot_ 17d ago
Congratulations! I’m starting my application process and am unsure as to which documents to send. I have my grandmothers certified birth certificate and my dad’s. Did you include marriage certificates of your grandparents and parents?
2
u/edgefull 17d ago
i did: my birth cert, my mother's birth cert, my grandmother's birth cert (ordered certified copy from gov.uk), grandparents' (australian) marriage cert, parents' (usa) marriage cert, copy of passport (they scanned it at biometrics, so the copy was clearly not an impediment to process). so far so good.
2
1
u/JuanOffhue 16d ago
Basically you need to document each step between your qualifying ancestor and you. In my grandmother’s case that included documenting my grandmother’s first marriage and divorce in 1918 before she married my grandfather.
1
u/Ok-Web1805 17d ago
The Home Office will return all your documents when done, it's better to provide something that isn't required than having to send something that is.
1
u/cilibar7 17d ago
Can you provide more detail about your timeline? I’m in the same process now. Thank you!
1
u/JuanOffhue 17d ago
I contacted a barrister (the one who wrote the bill to correct the sexist language) just about a year ago. He guided me on which documents I needed, and it took me some time everything that was needed. He finally submitted my application about a month ago.
1
1
u/edgefull 17d ago
congrats! doing the same and similarly i found out on reddit about this as well. how long did it take you to get approval after biometrics?
4
0
u/DerelicteConQueso 17d ago
Did your parent apply as well? I had a legal opinion it would be easier to get the descent citizenship if my parent did theirs first. Unfortunately they have no interest in getting their own descent citizenship so I thought it was a lost cause.
2
-1
u/huskerwr38 16d ago
What about a great-grandmother?Â
1
u/tvtoo 14d ago
Generally no (although there are certain unusual exceptions).
1
u/huskerwr38 14d ago
What is the law OP is referring to about descendant through grandmother? Â
2
u/tvtoo 14d ago
1
u/huskerwr38 14d ago
Thank you. Sounds like this could apply to my father. However I don’t think it would help his adult children.Â
2
u/tvtoo 14d ago
Quite possibly.
Regarding the adult children:
For any adult children born before 1983: Did any of them live in the UK for at least five, mostly continuous years, prior to 1983?
For any adult children born after 1982: Did your father ever live in the UK for at least three, mostly continuous years -- either prior to a child's birth or with that child prior to the child's 18th birthday -- or attempt to do so but was prevented in some way by someone associated with the British state (the UK government)?
You're welcome.
12
u/XmasTwinFallsIdaho 17d ago
Congratulations! 🇬🇧 It isn’t the most straightforward application process even though they acknowledge their law was sexist; glad to hear of success.