Entering the UK- or going to happen now

Rosie51

DAR Why should my Canadian grandchildren who were born to one Canadian born parent and one naturalised Canadian parent be required to pay excessive sums to the UK to relinquish a citizenship they have not requested but has been imposed upon them by a country they've never lived in?

Citizenship laws operate automatically. Countries don’t ask whether a child “wants” the nationality if the statutory conditions are met. This is common globally:

Canada automatically grants citizenship by descent (with limits).
The United States grants citizenship automatically under certain conditions.
The UK does the same.

I would be suprised if their parents weren't aware of this.

The UK does charge a fee to renounce British citizenship (currently set by the Home Office). That fee applies even if:

The person never lived in the UK
Never held a UK passport
Never exercised the rights

The legal reasoning is that they are citizens under UK law, and renunciation is an administrative act. Whether the fee is excessive is a matter of opinion rather than fact - different people, different opinions.

Compulsory or automatic surely mean the exact same thing in this situation?

Just as being born in America made you American in the past, irrespective of your parents.
eh? How is that in any way the same, these children have the nationality of where they are born, they aren't being born in UK. Their parent was born in UK.

I don't understand what you mean by I suppose if the parents didn't want it for their children they could relinquish the right before the child was born. do you mean relinquish their child's right to citizenship? Or the parent should pay and relinquish their citizenship to protect their child from this compulsory citizenship?

It's not really "compulsory" - it's just automatic.
I suppose if the parents didn't want it for their children they could relinquish the right before the child was born.

Just as being born in America made you American in the past, irrespective of your parents.

The aspect nobody is addressing is why is British citizenship compulsory for the children born in another country to one British parent and one foreign parent, who have no desire for it and haven't consented to it, requiring them to have a British passport for entry to UK? Why isn't their own national passport that's good for everywhere else in the world sufficient? If we insist that these children must have British citizenship against their wishes the honourable thing to do is allow them to rescind that citizenship at no or little financial cost to them.

It's much easier for those originally from countries who do NOT allow dual citizenship. If you become a citizen of another country, your original citizenship is cancelled - automatically, without having to apply and pay a fee.
I met someone earlier today, originally from India but now a Canadian citizen. When he wants to visit his parents in India, he gets a visa and travels on Canadian passport. India does not allow dual nationality.

LizzieDrip

Nanna8 when you say ‘they changed the rules’ regarding citizenship by descent, who do you believe changed the rules (i.e. the law)?

The UK Government

The rules keep changing if you look at my links.

I've just checked the .GOV website anyone born in UK must have a UK passport from 25 February 2026. So if you want to visit UK you need a UK passport, your children if they were on your home country passport may also need a UK passport

It's very complicated, where you are resident may affect it too, allow a month plus for straightforward applications.

I just don't understand why this is still causing such a lot of anger given it's virtually worldwide for dual nationals between countries.
It's not something the UK hasn't thought through and wasn't a recent idea.

It's everywhere for dual citizens.
Not just here.
It affects my family too.

My son has dual nationality and has TWO passports already to facilitate travel.
So does his wife who is NOT entitled to a UK passport but who is a dual national elsewhere has two for the same reason.

As people have repeated again and again, it's the responsibility of the traveller to make sure they have the right documents.
If people won't do that then they have the option to stay put (as nanna8 intends to).

I do understand that changes can be frustrating but if you were (say) a Australia/USA national it would already have been implemented and would now be "normal".

Nanna8 when you say ‘they changed the rules’ regarding citizenship by descent, who do you believe changed the rules (i.e. the law)?

Rosie51

DAR Why should my Canadian grandchildren who were born to one Canadian born parent and one naturalised Canadian parent be required to pay excessive sums to the UK to relinquish a citizenship they have not requested but has been imposed upon them by a country they've never lived in?

Exactly my point and our situation. They changed the rules, they didn’t used to be that way. I wish my grandchildren had just organised to go round mainland Europe, easier and cheaper. Ignore the rude comments , it just shows a lack of empathy and understanding.

DAR Why should my Canadian grandchildren who were born to one Canadian born parent and one naturalised Canadian parent be required to pay excessive sums to the UK to relinquish a citizenship they have not requested but has been imposed upon them by a country they've never lived in?

My son cannot travel to the UK on his Canadian passport. I begin to think DAR is either thick or deliberately misunderstanding. Either way she displays total ignorance of the regulations.

DaisyAnneReturns

Re Canadian son. If the individual is content with their Canadian citizenship and doesn't want to pursue British nationality, then there's no obligation to do so.

As for traveling to the UK, yes, the individual could absolutely travel on their Canadian passport. If they don't claim British citizenship, they would simply travel as a Canadian citizen and follow the UK's visa or entry requirements for non-citizens, depending on their specific situation.

He could, if the have already claimed British nationality but that is going to cost too.

We all have to pay for services provided. I really don't understand why some people think the should not have to.

Do you have reading comprehension difficulties?
My son was born in the UK, has married a Canadian and moved to Canada. Has taken Canadian citizenship and has a Canadian passport. Still with me? His children, born in Canada to a Canadian mother and naturalised Canadian father are by diktat assumed to be British not Canadian and in need of British passports to enter the UK. You don't have a problem with them being dictated to by an imperialist British government?
They cannot (except for purely Canadian mum) travel on Canadian passports. It's not at all as you portray, I await your apology for misunderstanding the entire situation. My grandchildren have not requested British citizenship it has been thrusted upon them in terms of entry to UK.

claimed British nationality claimed British nationality, relinquish it,

Allira

^If he wants to travel for your funeral, then yes, it's the law for everyone.^

Depends if a law is just or not.
Just because something is a law does not make it common sense.

Why isn't it Allira? What about it is unjust? Don't you think we should improve our methods for capturing statistics? I've no doubt you the complainers on here would be the first to complain if the government didn't.

Re Canadian son. If the individual is content with their Canadian citizenship and doesn't want to pursue British nationality, then there's no obligation to do so.

As for traveling to the UK, yes, the individual could absolutely travel on their Canadian passport. If they don't claim British citizenship, they would simply travel as a Canadian citizen and follow the UK's visa or entry requirements for non-citizens, depending on their specific situation.

He could, if the have already claimed British nationality but that is going to cost too.

We all have to pay for services provided. I really don't understand why some people think the should not have to.

If he wants to travel for your funeral, then yes, it's the law for everyone.

Depends if a law is just or not.
Just because something is a law does not make it common sense.

Rosie51

So my son in Canada who cannot afford to come with his family to the UK should apply again for a British passport so when his father or I die he can come over for the funeral if he feels the need. He is a Canadian naturalised citizen with a Canadian passport, his wife but not his children could travel on Canadian passports. The lack of humanity and compassion is astounding. Especially from people who portray themselves as caring individuals.
I wish someone would tell me why they think it is correct for Britain to dictate that a child born in a foreign country to one British parent should have no say in whether or not they are a British citizen. Seems decidedly fascist to me.

If he wants to travel for your funeral, then yes, it's the law for everyone. Why should your family members be exempt? My son will have to follow the same rules, but he’s proactive and organised, so I imagine it will be sorted with reminders where necessary.

Why is someone's inability to follow the rules always someone else’s fault?

Allira

^I wish someone would tell me why they think it is correct for Britain to dictate that a child born in a foreign country to one British parent should have no say in whether or not they are a British citizen.^
Unless they pay not to be so!! 😁

Yes, the same old same old, money speaks!!

I wish someone would tell me why they think it is correct for Britain to dictate that a child born in a foreign country to one British parent should have no say in whether or not they are a British citizen.
Unless they pay not to be so!! 😁

So my son in Canada who cannot afford to come with his family to the UK should apply again for a British passport so when his father or I die he can come over for the funeral if he feels the need. He is a Canadian naturalised citizen with a Canadian passport, his wife but not his children could travel on Canadian passports. The lack of humanity and compassion is astounding. Especially from people who portray themselves as caring individuals.
I wish someone would tell me why they think it is correct for Britain to dictate that a child born in a foreign country to one British parent should have no say in whether or not they are a British citizen. Seems decidedly fascist to me.

Perhaps these links might help anyone who is trying to plough their way through these new rules:

www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-british-parent/born-on-or-after-1-july-2006
www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-british-parent/born-between-1983-and-2006
www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-british-parent/born-before-1983

Chunter!

You may rarely go to Canada Summysoom but you have chosen to retain your citizenship. I'm sure you think these changes are worth sorting out in order to do that. It has to be procedural as it's a legal process but really, most people will, most likely, chuter about the cost and just get on with it as you did.

I don't think all the repetitions of the legal rules helps. We can all feel out our depth at times with paperwork but it isn't really nanna8's problem to solve. It the AGCs with the help of their parents.

Summysoom

I’m a Canadian with dual citizenship. About 10 years ago, arriving in Ottawa to visit my dad, I was told by a very rude border guard that I had better apply for a Canadian passport soon. Turns out, as a native Canadian I could no longer enter Canada on my British passport and I wasn’t allow to use an ETA.
It cost me a fortune as I had to pay for a new copy of my birth certificate as well as the passport application which cost twice as much as a domestic application. I was very cross but as I needed to visit my dad regularly it was necessary.
I hardly ever go to Canada now but have to apply for a renewal soon just in case I do need to travel there. It does seem unfair but what the UK is doing is not unique.

Maybe it's not unique, that doesn't make it right. Do your children if you have any, (please don't feel obliged to answer if you'd prefer not to), also have Canadian citizenship and therefore a necessity for a Canadian passport imposed upon them, whether or not they want or request it?