Help with registration for child

[thunderb0lt]

Hello

Hope someone can help with this query please.

Father is british citizen, born in 1976 arrived in UK when 2 years old with his mother. Not sure if father was naturalised as british or british by descent.

Father's child, born overseas is set to arrive to UK with mother as spouse of british citizen and child dependent.

Is child able to register as british citizen immediately once in the UK or does Child need to wait 3 years before she can register.

If possible, please also link to relevant guidance confirming.

Thanks in advance

[Amber]

You need to establish if the Father was naturalised or not.

[thunderb0lt]

the father was not naturalised, so it british by descent.

[Amber]

The 3 year waiting period would allow registration as British under s 3(5) which conveys citizenship otherwise than by descent. You may register straight away under s 3(2) [assuming parent had lived in the UK for 3 or more years] however; the child would be British by descent.

[thunderb0lt]

Thanks a lot for your prompt reply and advice Amber.

[thunderb0lt]

Hello Amber

Can you please confirm whether registration using form MN1 can only be done when child is present in the United Kingdom. In other words I want to know whether it would have been possible for the child's father to have made the application to register the child as British, from overseas rather than bringing the child to the UK as a dependant with mother on Spouse Visa first and then making the application to register as British.

Thanks