If you do not qualify for British citizenship automatically, you may be eligible to apply for Registration as a British citizen, either by way of an entitlement or on a discretionary basis.  In most cases, it is children who apply to be registered as a British citizen on the basis of their parent’s status.
 

Children who have not yet reached the age of majority (age 18) to become British citizens under the following sections of the British Nationality Act 1981. Once a child reaches age 18 they will have to apply to naturalise.
 

In order to be considered for registering as a British citizen, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you meet one of the following sections:

• Section 1(3) birth in the UK to parents who are now settled in the UK or have become British citizens;

• Section 1(3A) birth in the UK to parents who have joined the armed forces;

• Section 3(1) child whose parents are applying for British citizenship;

• Section 3(2) birth abroad to parents who are British by descent and have lived in the UK or a British overseas territory;

• Section 3(5) birth abroad to parents who are British by descent but are now living in the UK or a British overseas territory; Section 3(1) children adopted abroad by British citizen parents;

• Section 3(1) children whose parents had renounced and subsequently resumed British citizenship; Section 3(1) any other case not listed below where it is considered to be in the child’s best interests to be granted British citizenship;

• Section 4D birth abroad to parents serving in the armed forces.
   

Those who are over the age of 10 applying in either category must also be able to demonstrate that they are of good character.
 

You may also be entitled to be registered as a British citizen if you have previously renounced British citizenship, you are of full capacity, and your renunciation of British citizenship was necessary to enable you to acquire or retain some other citizenship or nationality.
 

If you are not entitled to be registered as a British citizen you may still apply for registration on a discretionary basis:

• As a child, at any time before your 18th birthday;

• As a British overseas territories citizen, at any time.