DUAL FOR MY BABY

[joshbailie 0]

My husband is a UK Citizen with a Green Card here in the USA. I am a US Citizen. Our baby girl is nearly one and I'd like her to have dual citizenship but am REALLY confused on how to apply..... She has a US Passport and then of course her birth certificate...she is a US Citizen only.

Anyhow..if you have any helpful info or links, send em my way!

Ta!

-Anna

[Lance27 19]

My husband is a UK Citizen with a Green Card here in the USA. I am a US Citizen. Our baby girl is nearly one and I'd like her to have dual citizenship but am REALLY confused on how to apply..... She has a US Passport and then of course her birth certificate...she is a US Citizen only.

Anyhow..if you have any helpful info or links, send em my way!

Ta!

-Anna

Not sure, but the best place to start would be by contacting the British Embassy in the US. Maybe someone else will be able to provide you with more specific details.

Good luck

[DavidEvgeniya 0]

I know England allows it, but i do not think the US recognises the dual

[anitacastillo 0]

I know England allows it, but i do not think the US recognises the dual

Yes, the US does allow/recognize dual citizenship. Years ago (like when my dad had to give up his Canadian citizenship when he naturalized here in 1965ish) they did not.

[lucyrich 20]

You don't apply for "dual citizenship", nor do you worry about whether the US allows/recognizes dual citizenship. You attain citizenship in each country separately according to that country's laws.

Each country makes its own citizenship laws, usually without much thought to the citizenship laws of other countries. US law determines whether or not a person is a US citizen. Since your baby was born in the US, the baby is a US Citizen according to the 14th amendment, regardless of what other citizenships she may have. The US doesn't get involved one way or another with the issue of whether or not she's a UK citizen -- that's a matter between the UK and the baby. But for US legal purposes, the child is a US citizen, and any other citizenships are irrelevant. The US won't, for example, let the UK embassy intercede on her behalf if she's ever arrested for a crime in the US. In that sense, the US doesn't "recognize" her UK citizenship, but the US doesn't mind at all if the UK considers her to be a UK citizen.

Though many countries (like the US) don't consider other citizenships in their own citizenship laws, there are some countries that DO consider other citizenships in their own citizenship laws. Outer Fredonia might say that any Outer Fredonian who naturalizes to another citizenship automatically relinquishes their Outer Fredonian citizenship. Or North Bintu might say that a child born of North Bintuan parents outside the country only inherits North Bintuan citizenship if that child did NOT get citizenship based on the country in which the birth took place. Stagswanna might say that a person may only naturalize to Stagswannian citizenship if their previous citizenship(s) are fully relinquished. There are many complexities possible.

I don't know enough about UK citizenship laws to know if being born of a UK parent is enough to pass on citizenship, or if there are other conditions which must be met. I don't even know if the UK cares that your baby is a US citizen when it determines whether she's a UK citizen (I think not, but...). Consult with the UK consulate to find out. But it might be easier to find information, espcially on a web search, if you only inquire about UK citizenship, not "dual citizenship".

See the Dual Citizenship FAQ for more details on the issues involved.

[txgirl75 0]

Hi,

I'm the mother of a US citizen so its a little bit different in regards to the UK law, heres what they say about a UK born father, hope this helps, if your baby was born before 7/1/06 heres the link to the forms you'll need. http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk/se...d=1113060107121

Descent from a parent

(a) Father - children born before 01 July 2006

By legitimate descent from a father born, registered or naturalised in the UK. Legitimate descent in British nationality law requires the father to be legally married to the mother at the time of the birth.

Example - you were born overseas and at the time of your birth your father was British by birth in the UK or by registration or naturalisation in the UK and your parents were legally married at the time of your birth. Common-law relationships are not recognised for citizenship purposes.

If the parents marry after the birth, the marriage will normally serve to legitimate the child's birth but there is a particular procedure to be followed in order to establish this. The necessary forms will be sent on request to our fax number (613) 237 6537. Please supply an address.

If the parents choose not to marry, the father can apply for citizenship on behalf of a minor child (under 18). See British Citizenship for forms and fees.

If the parents never married and the applicant is over 18, the father cannot apply for citizenship, as this type of registration is only available to minors.

If the father is a British citizen not by birth but by registration or naturalisation in the UK only children legitimately born to him after the effective date of his registration will be eligible.

Children born after 01 July 2006

A recent amendment to the British Nationality Act 1981 removes the requirement for a child to be "legitimate" in order to have a claim to British nationality by descent through their father. Males who are British citizens will no longer need to be married to the mother of their children or to apply for Home Office registration for them before their 18th birthday.

Proof of paternity will be a birth certificate for the child, issued within one year of the birth, in which the Biritsh citizen is named as the father. Alternatively, DNA test reports will be accepted.