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British Nationality Act 1981
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- UK Public General Acts
- 1981 c. 61
- Part V
- Section 39
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Changes to legislation:
British Nationality Act 1981, Section 39 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 24 December 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 39:
- s. 4AA inserted by 2024 c. 19 s. 1(2)
- s. 6(3) (4) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 40(2) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- s. 41(1)(bc)-(be) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 41(2) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- s. 41(1B) (1C) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 41(3) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- s. 50A(1)(aa) inserted by 2024 c. 19 s. 1(4)(a)
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(ba)(bb) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(5) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(ca) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(7) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(5) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(10) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 6(2)-(4) inserted by 2022 c. 36 Sch. 1 para. 3(4)(d)
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(c) repealed by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(6) Sch. Pt. 2 (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(a) substituted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(4) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(2)-(4) substituted for Sch. 1 para. 2(2)(3) by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(9) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(d) word substituted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(8)(a) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(d) words substituted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(8)(b) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 4AA inserted by 2024 c. 19 s. 1(2)
- s. 6(3) (4) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 40(2) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- s. 41(1)(bc)-(be) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 41(2) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- s. 41(1B) (1C) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 41(3) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- s. 50A(1)(aa) inserted by 2024 c. 19 s. 1(4)(a)
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(ba)(bb) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(5) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(ca) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(7) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(5) inserted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(10) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 6(2)-(4) inserted by 2022 c. 36 Sch. 1 para. 3(4)(d)
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(c) repealed by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(6) Sch. Pt. 2 (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(a) substituted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(4) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(2)-(4) substituted for Sch. 1 para. 2(2)(3) by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(9) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(d) word substituted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(8)(a) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
- Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(d) words substituted by 2009 c. 11 s. 39(8)(b) (Amending provision prospectively repealed by 2022 c. 36, s. 9(3)(a))
X139 Amendment of Immigration Act 1971.U.K.
(1)The Immigration Act 1971 shall be amended in accordance with the following provisions of this section.
(2)For section 2 (statement of right of abode) there shall be substituted—
“2 Statement of right of abode in United Kingdom.
(1)A person is under this Act to have the right of abode in the United Kingdom if—
(a)he is a British citizen; or
(b)he is a Commonwealth citizen who—
(i)immediately before the commencement of the British Nationality Act 1981 was a Commonwealth citizen having the right of abode in the United Kingdom by virtue of section 2(1)(d) or section 2(2) of this Act as then in force; and
(ii)has not ceased to be a Commonwealth citizen in the meanwhile.
(2)In relation to Commonwealth citizens who have the right of abode in the United Kingdom by virtue of subsection (1)(b) above, this Act, except this section and sections 3(9) and (9A), 5(2) and 13(3), shall apply as if they were British citizens; and in this Act, (except as aforesaid) “British citizen” shall be construed accordingly.”
F1(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(4)In section 8 (except for special cases), after subsection (5) there shall be inserted—
“(5A)An order under subsection (2) above may, as regards any person or class of persons to whom it applies, provide for that person or class to be in specified circumstances regarded (notwithstanding the order) as settled in the United Kingdom for the purposes of section 1(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981.”
F1(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(6)Schedule 4 (which contains further amendments of the M1Immigration Act 1971) shall have effect.
(7)In section 90 of the M2Mental Health Act 1959 and section 82 of the M3Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1960 (removal of non-patrial in-patients to places outside the United Kingdom), for the words from “any patient” to “1971 and” (which were susbtituted for “any person being an alien” by section 30(1) of the Immigration Act 1971) there shall be substituted “any patient who is neither a British citizen nor a Commonwealth citizen having the right of abode in the United Kingdom by virtue of section 2(1)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971, being a patient”.
(8)A certificate of patriality issued under the M4Immigration Act 1971 and in force immediately before commencement shall have effect after commencement as if it were a certificate of entitlement issued under that Act [F2as in force after commencement], unless at commencement the holder ceases to have the right of abode in the United Kingdom.
Editorial Information
X1The text of s. 39(1)-(7) is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and, except as specified, does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.
Textual Amendments
F1S. 39(3)(5) repealed by Immigration Act 1988 (c. 14, SIF 62), s. 3(3)
F2Words substituted by Immigration Act 1988 (c. 14, SIF 62), s. 3(3)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 39(1) extended (Isle of Man) (13.3.2008 for specified purposes and otherwise 1.5.2008) by The Immigration (Isle of Man) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/680), arts. 1(2), 5, 8(2)(a)
C2S. 39(2) extended (Isle of Man) (13.3.2008 for specified purposes and otherwise 1.5.2008) by The Immigration (Isle of Man) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/680), arts. 1(2), 5, 8(2)(a)
C3S. 39(4) extended (Isle of Man) (13.3.2008 for specified purposes and otherwise 1.5.2008) by The Immigration (Isle of Man) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/680), arts. 1(2), 5, 8(2)(a)
C4S. 39(6) extended in part (Isle of Man) (13.3.2008 for specified purposes and otherwise 1.5.2008) by The Immigration (Isle of Man) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/680), arts. 1(2), 5, 8(2)(b)
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