The type of citizenship you will acquire
If your application is successful, you will become a British citizen. Your registration certificate will state if you are a British citizen by descent or a British citizen otherwise than by descent.
British citizen by descent
You will become a British citizen by descent if, prior to registering as a British citizen:
- you were a British dependent territories citizen by descent before you registered as a British national (overseas), or, because you failed to register, became a British overseas citizen on 1 July 1997; or
- a British overseas citizen; or
- a British subject; or
- a British protected person.
In general, British dependent territories citizens who were born outside Hong Kong became British dependent territories citizens by descent.
As a British citizen by descent you will not normally be able to pass on British citizenship to any children born outside the United Kingdom.
British citizenship otherwise than by descent
You will become a British citizen otherwise than by descent if prior to registration as a British citizen:
- you were a British dependent territories citizen otherwise than by descent before you registered as a British national (overseas), or
- because you failed to register, became a British overseas citizen on 1 July 1997.
British dependent territories citizens who were born, naturalised (in some cases registered) or adopted in Hong Kong became British dependent territories citizens otherwise than by descent.
As a British citizen otherwise than by descent you will be able to pass on British citizenship to any children born to you after you have registered, even if they are born outside the United Kingdom. Any children born before you have registered for British citizenship will need to qualify and apply for British citizenship in their own right.
Terms explained
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British national (overseas)
A person who was a British overseas territories citizen by connection with Hong Kong was able to register as a British national (overseas) before 1 July 1997. It is no longer possible to become a British national (overseas).
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British overseas territories citizen
You will be a British overseas territories citizen if you are connected with a British overseas territory because you or your parents were born, registered or naturalised in that British overseas territory. If you were born before 1 January 1983, you may gain the citizenship through your grandparents. (See British overseas territory.)
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By descent
British citizenship gained through your parents. This type of citizenship cannot normally be passed on to your own children. (See also Otherwise than by descent.)
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Otherwise than by descent
British citizenship gained in your own right (not by descent through your parents or grandparents). This type of citizenship can be passed on to your own children. (See also Descent.)