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British Nationality Act 1981

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Changes over time for: Section 25

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Changes to legislation:

British Nationality Act 1981, Section 25 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 31 October 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. Help about Changes to Legislation

25 Meaning of [F1British overseas territories citizen]“by descent”.U.K.

(1)For the purposes of this Act a [F1British overseas territories citizen] is such a citizen “by descent” if and only if—

(a)he is a person born outside the [F2British overseas territories] after commencement who is a [F1British overseas territories citizen] by virtue of section 16(1)(a) only or by virtue of registration under section 17(2) or 21; or

(b)subject to subsection (2), he is a person born outside the [F2British overseas territories] before commencement who became a [F1British overseas territories citizen] at commencement and immediately before commencement—

(i)was a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies by virtue of section 5 of the 1948 Act (citizenship by descent); or

(ii)was a person who, under any provision of the British Nationality Acts 1948 to 1965, was deemed for the purposes of the proviso to section 5(1) of the 1948 Act to be a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies by descent only, or would have been so deemed if male; or

(c)he is a [F1British overseas territories citizen] by virtue of registration under section 17(1) and either—

(i)his father or mother was a [F1British overseas territories citizen] at the time of the birth; or

(ii)his father or mother was a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies at that time and became a [F1British overseas territories citizen] at commencement, or would have done so but for his or her death; or

[F3(ca)the person is a British overseas territories citizen by virtue of registration under section 17A; or]

[F4(cb)the person is a British overseas territories citizen by descent by virtue of section 17C(3), 17D(2), 17E(2) or 17F(5); or]

(d)subject to subsection (2), he is a person born outside the [F2British overseas territories] before commencement who became a [F1British overseas territories citizen] at commencement under section 23(1)(b) only; or

(e)subject to subsection (2), being a woman, she became a [F1British overseas territories citizen] at commencement under section 23(1)(c) only, and did so only by virtue of having been, immediately before commencement or earlier, the wife of a man who immediately after commencement was, or would but for his death have been, a [F1British overseas territories citizen] by descent by virtue of paragraph (b) or (d) of this subsection; or

(f)subject to subsection (2), being a woman born outside the [F2British overseas territories] before commencement, she is a [F1British overseas territories citizen] as a result of her registration as such a citizen under section 20 by virtue of being or having been married to a man who at commencement became such a citizen by descent or would have done so but for his having died or ceased to be a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies as a result of a declaration of renunciation; or

(g)he is a [F1British overseas territories citizen] by virtue of registration under section 22 who, having before commencement ceased to be a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies as a result of a declaration of renunciation, would, if he had not so ceased, have at commencement become a [F1British overseas territories citizen] by descent by virtue of paragraph (b), (d) or (e);

(h)he is a [F1British overseas territories citizen] by virtue of registration under section 13 (as applied by section 24) who, immediately before he ceased to be a [F1British overseas territories citizen] as a result of a declaration of renunciation, was such a citizen by descent; or

(i)he is a person born in the United Kingdom after commencement who is a [F1British overseas territories citizen] by virtue of paragraph 1 of Schedule 2.

(2)A person born outside the [F2British overseas territories] before commencement is not a [F1British overseas territories citizen]“by descent” by virtue of subsection (1)(b), (d), (e) or (f) if his father was at the time of his birth serving outside the [F2British overseas territories] in service of a description mentioned in subsection (3), his recruitment for the service in question having taken place in a [F5British overseas territory] .

(3)The descriptions of service referred to in subsection (2) are—

(a)Crown service under the government of a [F5British overseas territory] ; and

(b)service of any description at any time designated under section 16(3).

Textual Amendments

F1Words in s. 25 substituted (26.2.2002) by British Overseas Territories Act 2002 (c. 8), s. 2(2)(b)

F2Words in s. 25 substituted (26.2.2002) by British Overseas Territories Act 2002 (c. 8), s. 1(1)(b)

F5Words in s. 25 substituted (26.2.2002) by British Overseas Territories Act 2002 (c. 8), s. 1(1)(b)

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