Family Law Act 1986

56Declarations as to legitimacy or legitimation.

(1)Any person may apply to the court for a declaration that he is the legitimate child of his parents.

(2)Any person may apply to the court for one (or for one or, in the alternative, the other) of the following declarations, that is to say—

(a)a declaration that he has become a legitimated person;

(b)a declaration that he has not become a legitimated person.

(3)A court shall have jurisdiction to entertain an application under subsection (1) or (2) above if, and only if, the applicant—

(a)is domiciled in England and Wales on the date of the application, or

(b)has been habitually resident in England and Wales throughout the period of one year ending with that date.

(4)In this section“legitimated person” means a person legitimated or recognised as legitimated—

(a)under section 2 or 3 of the [1976 c. 31.] Legitimacy Act 1976; or

(b)under section 1 or 8 of the [1926 c. 60.] Legitimacy Act 1926; or

(c)by a legitimation (whether or not by virtue of the subsequent marriage of his parents) recognised by the law of England and Wales and effected under the law of any other country.