Entering the UK- or going to happen now

It's sensible apply for British citizenship if Australians want to come and work here and are eligible, of course.

That would be the best way forward.,

Rosie51

Allira
Like 250,000 other Australians:
They are automatically British citizens by descent whether they want to be or not. They may not have even have realised this.
They are Australians and, like other Australians, want to travel with their Australian passport and an ETA or Visa if required.

Oh wow, I had no idea it was so many affected. If they all decided they'll exercise their right to vote in our elections I bet there'd be a rapid change of policy.
Presumably there are large numbers scattered in Canada, New Zealand as well as other countries who also might want to take up the right........

No they do not have the right to vote if British by descent.

If British by descent ie born in Australia in this example of a British parent ( who is not British by descent) the csn only register to vote if they have lived in UK ( and I don’t know how that’s determined ) or if they have previously been registered to vote. So basically they’d have to come and live here- so would need a UK passport. Then register to vote or just live here for? Then go back to Australia and register as an overseas voter.

Ok I was wrong about the voting. How strange we feel able to insist on conferring British citizenship but not eligibility to vote by the same criteria. Almost like we're cherry picking........

Oh wow, I had no idea it was so many affected. If they all decided they'll exercise their right to vote in our elections I bet there'd be a rapid change of policy.

If someone previously lived here then yes, they can vote in UK elections. They have to re-register their right to do so every three years.
As far as I know, this does not apply to those who are British by descent, unless they were resident and registered here at the time.

X post with Tuliptree.

Rosie51

Ok I was wrong about the voting. How strange we feel able to insist on conferring British citizenship but not eligibility to vote by the same criteria. Almost like we're cherry picking........

Very wrong Rosie - not a small error. So when the Tories in 2022
passed this legislation, even they thought that bring given the right to vote should involve more than citizenship but actually at minimum having lived in this country. Tories also passed the law changing British by descent rules. But I expect you know all this?

BlueBelle

I dont think anyone is getting Nana8s anger
The rules for Uk have changed and she can no longer get into Uk on her Australian passport alone

Yes, she can.

Tuliptree

Rosie51

Ok I was wrong about the voting. How strange we feel able to insist on conferring British citizenship but not eligibility to vote by the same criteria. Almost like we're cherry picking........

Very wrong Rosie - not a small error. So when the Tories in 2022
passed this legislation, even they thought that bring given the right to vote should involve more than citizenship but actually at minimum having lived in this country. Tories also passed the law changing British by descent rules. But I expect you know all this?

The rules have changed more than once.
2006 was the last change.

Cossy

BlueBelle

I dont think anyone is getting Nana8s anger
The rules for Uk have changed and she can no longer get into Uk on her Australian passport alone

Yes, she can.

No, she cannot!

Cossy

BlueBelle

I dont think anyone is getting Nana8s anger
The rules for Uk have changed and she can no longer get into Uk on her Australian passport alone

Yes, she can.

Anyway, it is her grandchildren who cannot - who didn't ask to be British anyway!

Where is the banging head against wall emoji?

Allira - I’m pretty sure that if you have a UK passport and have been resident in UK or resident hers and registered to vote, then you could return to Australia to luce and then register as an overseas voter and vote. Re 2006 changes, what changes to British by descent were brought in then? I thought the BBC changes happened in 1983 ?

Sorry - talking about BBD people in first sentence

Sorry I got my facts all wrong, but I still say the same it wasn’t done to annoy or upset Nana8 or her family so her grandkids just need to go along with the new rules and have a great time

Tuliptree

Allira - I’m pretty sure that if you have a UK passport and have been resident in UK or resident hers and registered to vote, then you could return to Australia to luce and then register as an overseas voter and vote. Re 2006 changes, what changes to British by descent were brought in then? I thought the BBC changes happened in 1983 ?

It might have been to do with marital status of parents.
“Before 1 July 2006 a child could only obtain citizenship through his or her father if the parents were married. The law changed on 1 July 2006 to allow a person to acquire citizenship through his or her father, irrespective of whether the parents were married, subject to proof of paternity. That change was not made retrospective.”

At one time only the father's citizenship applied, then they extended that to mothers as well.

BlueBelle

Sorry I got my facts all wrong, but I still say the same it wasn’t done to annoy or upset Nana8 or her family so her grandkids just need to go along with the new rules and have a great time

It has annoyed and upset a lot of people!
Not just nanna8.

BlueBelle

Sorry I got my facts all wrong, but I still say the same it wasn’t done to annoy or upset Nana8 or her family so her grandkids just need to go along with the new rules and have a great time

Do your New Zealand grandchildren have British nationality by descent BlueBelle, a parent born in the UK, as you might find they will be affected?
I don't think nanna has ever claimed or implied that this change was done to personally target her family. The internet is awash with people affected by this policy who are not happy about the enormous expense that will be involved, and I'm certain they're not all related to nanna.

BlueBelle

Sorry I got my facts all wrong, but I still say the same it wasn’t done to annoy or upset Nana8 or her family so her grandkids just need to go along with the new rules and have a great time

You still don't seem able to get it.

Cross posted Allira at exactly the same time!

I’m not sure “imposition of citizenship” is the right way to describe this. Most countries automatically confer citizenship by birth or descent; that’s the norm, not something unusual being forced on people.

If the complaint is about the cost and bureaucracy involved in obtaining documents or a passport it’s reasonable to debate whether those requirements are proportionate or fair. But that’s about administrative burden, not about citizenship being imposed. That said this "debate" flexes each time an explanation is provided.

It isn't unreasonable to have a sense of cultural disconnection when someone hasn't revisited their birth country for the best part of a lifetime but that disconnection is unlikely to give a truthful, all round picture and can seem offensive. As for administrative costs, you pay or you don't come. The choice is there.

Oh yes that’s right Allira. If nannas dgd had been born before the relevant date in 2006 she could not have been BBD. Oh dear, then there wouldn’t have been this problem. Oh if only parents had hindsight before conceiving 😂😂

The Liberal Democrats have raised this with the Home Secretary.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/feb/22/lib-dems-home-secretary-delay-new-dual-national-border-rules

DAR that’s the norm, not something unusual being forced on people. but if the individual neither asked nor wanted it, then it is being forced on them and is not a neutral act. Especially to then charge nearly £500 to get rid of this unwanted status.

Tuliptree

Oh yes that’s right Allira. If nannas dgd had been born before the relevant date in 2006 she could not have been BBD. Oh dear, then there wouldn’t have been this problem. Oh if only parents had hindsight before conceiving 😂😂

No that’s not true either is it? The 2006 change affected unmarried fathers. Nannas dgd was always going to be BBD. I think nationality law must be one of the most complex areas of law ever