- Photo of a UK Passport
For the new passport, please
see here.
- What is British nationality?
There are six types of British nationality. The most common is “British Citizen”. If you are renewing your passport, you are most likely a British Citizen and do not need to worry about the other five types of nationality. See above for further information.
- History of British Nationality
British law always made a distinction between subjects and foreigners but until 1914 the law regarding nationalities was not standardized. The British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914 solidified existing common laws and statutes, with a few minor changes that didn’t really affect anyone.
By 1948, with the Commonwealth having existed for some time, the various heads of government agreed that each member state would adopt new citizenship and nationality rules, but that all British nationals would retain the status of British Subject.
In the UK, the British Nationality Act of 1948 established the status of Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC), which became the official citizenship of the United Kingdom and its colonies on January 1, 1949, differentiating these people from British Subjects in the Dominions and in Ireland.
As each colony became independent, the British government would pass an Independence Act, which would withdraw the status of CUKC from anyone who became a citizen of the newly independent country. The usual exception to one of these acts one would be unless a person had a connection with the UK or a remaining colony (for example birth in Britain).
The Immigration Act 1971 introduced patriality, through which only British subjects with “strong” links to the the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man had the
“right of abode”, the right to live and work in the United Kingdom and its surrounding islands.
This law was changed when the British Nationality Act of 1981 was introduced, which created the current system of categories of British nationality. British citizens have the automatic
right of abode in the United Kingdom but few others do.
The 1981 Act ended the practice of acknowledging “commonwealth citizens” as “British Subjects”. The concept of “British Subject” was pretty much retired, except for two minor categories of people who were connected to British India or the Republic of Ireland prior to 1949, and who decided to keep their British status (provided, of course, they haven’t since become nationals of another country).
Acquisition of British nationality via the new categories made by the British Nationality Act of 1981 is still usually dependent on one’s status prior to January 1, 1983, the date it came into law. This means that some rules created in 1948 or 1971 may still affect your status today. As a result, British nationality and citizenship are complicated.
- What are the different types of British nationality?
British nationality law is very complicated. There are basically six types of British nationality, not all of which are the same.
- British Citizen
- British Overseas Territories Citizen
- British Overseas Citizen
- British National (Overseas)
- British Protected Person
- British Subject
British Citizens are citizens of the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. On January 1, 1983 most people - those with
“the right of abode” - who were “Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies” became “British Citizens”. It is the most common type of British nationality. If you are entitled to British Citizenship through descent you are likely a “British Citizen”. You are entitled to British Citizenship if
- You were born in Britain prior to January 1, 1983
- You were born to a British Citizen mother who was still a citizen at the time of your birth
- You were born to a British citizen father who was still a citizen at the time of your birth and who was married to your mother at the time of your birth
All British Citizens are allowed to carry a passport. If you have a normal British passport, your nationality is established, though not your
“right of abode”, i.e. the right to move to and live permanently in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.
British Overseas Territories Citizens (formally known as British Dependent Territories Citizens) are those who were born in or settled in a British Overseas Territory after January 1, 1983. BOTC can be acquired through descent as well, if you were born outside of the British Overseas Territories only if the parent you are claiming BOTC status through acquired citizenship through birth or through settlement (not through descent).
Before 2002, only BOTCs of the Falklands and Gibraltar could become full British Citizens. Since 2002, any BOTC, save a BOTC from Cyprus, can become a full British Citizen. In order to do so, you must
- register as a British Citizen (this application can be refused)
- marry a full British Citizen and live in the UK for 3 years
- move to the UK and live there for 5 years
If you are a Gibraltar BOTC, your application cannot be refused.
British Overseas Territories:
- Akrotiri and Dhekelia military bases
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Antarctic Territory
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn Islands
- Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan de Cunha
- South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands
- Turks and Caicos Islands
British Overseas Citizens (BOC) are those who were considered “Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies” (CUKC) prior to January 1, 1983, but did not immediately qualify for British Citizenship or British Dependent Territories Citizenship. There are a number of ways this could happen:
- CUKCs through former British colonies or protectorates who did not become that citizens of that country on independence. This is applies to some former colonies, such as Kenya.
- CUKCs who retained this citizenship upon independence of their colony based on a connection to another colony which became independent before January 1, 1983
- British Subjects (see below) born before 1949 who did not acquire citizenship of the dominion they lived in (Dominions include Australia, Canada, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Africa), or British Subjects in Ireland or Zimbabwe when these nations created their citizenship laws, and could not claim another status through India or Pakistan
- CUKCs who received it by descent through the father before January 1, 1983 and born in a country not part of the Commonwealth to a father
- Female CUKCs who received it by marriage after October 28, 1971
- minor CUKCs who received it by registration at a British High Commission in an independent Commonwealth country after October 27, 1971
- CUKCs who kept this status even though they acquired the citizenship of an independent Commonwealth country (rare cases)
You cannot acquire this citizenship through descent. This status is supposed to disappear as a citizenship category once everyone who holds it dies.
BOCs can become full British Citizens through
- Living in the UK for 5 years
- Marrying a full British Citizen and living in the UK for 3 years
- Statelessness, provided you did not lose your citizenship after 2002 by renouncing, voluntarily
relinquishing or losing citizenship through “action or inaction”. If you can apply as a stateless person, you will have to register as a British Citizen
British National (Overseas) (BNO) was a status created in 1985 to deal with the reversion of Hong Kong to China. BNOs are those British Dependent Territories Citizens – who, before 2002, were not automatically entitled to full British Citizenship - who registered as British Nationals (Overseas) after January 1, 1987 and before December 31, 997. If you were a British Dependent Territories Citizen who did not register during this period and subsequently lost this status – for example by the transfer of Hong Kong from Britain to China – you are not a BNO.
BNOs can carry a special type of passport which entitles the bearer to visa-free travel in the EU and to the consular support of EU diplomatic missions, in addition to the
“right of abode” in Hong Kong. However, BNOs are not full British Citizens, do not have “the right of abode” in the UK, and have no special rights to become a full British Citizen.
British Protected Persons (BPP) are a special class of refugees from former British colonies. Eligibility for this nationality designation depends on the independence date of the colony.
Pre-Independence
A person is a British Protected Person if
- They were born in one of the countries below prior to independence, never became a citizen of that country or any other (including the UK);
- Their father was born before January 28, 1949 in one of the countries listed below;
- Their father was born before January 28, 1949 outside of one of the countries listed below, and they never became a citizen of any other country (including the UK) since August 16, 1978
- Their father was born in one of the countries below and was a British Protected Person at the time of the person’s birth and the person was born on or after January 28, 1949 but before independence, was born outside of one of the countries below, never became a citizen of one of the countries below, and has not become a citizen anywhere else
Post-Independence
A person is a British Protected Person if
- Between independence and 1978
- Their father was a BPP at the time of the person’s birth and the person was born after independence and before August 16, 1978 and has not become a citizen anywhere else
- Between July 7, 1978 and July 7, 1980
- Their father was a BPP at the time of birth, the person was born between July 7, 1978 and July 7, 1980, the person would have been born stateless if not for BPP status
- Since January 1, 1983
- Either parent was a BPP at the time of birth, the person was born on or after January 1, 1983, and has not acquired any citizenship
Please note exceptions to these rules exist for those born in the Solomon Islands. Those seeking BPP born between July 8, 1980 and December 31, 1982 should in one of the below countries should contact their
nearest British diplomatic mission to see if they can qualify for BPP status through their father.
It is also possible to register as a BPP, but you need to meet the above conditions, unless applying through marriage.
BPP is eligible only for people who meet the above criteria and born in the territories that became the regions of the following countries:
- Botswana: Bechuanaland
- Gambia
- Ghana: British Togoland and Northern Territories of the Gold Coast
- Kenya
- Malawi: Nyasaland
- Nigeria
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- Tanzania: Tanganyika
- Uganda
- Yemen: Kamaran and South Arabia
- Zambia: Northern Rhodesia
Most BPPs did not become British Subjects (though there are exceptions). BPPs can become full British Citizens through the following means:
- 5 years residence in the UK with “Indefinite Leave to Remain” for at least 12 months
- Marrying a full British Citizen and living in the UK for 3 years
- Statelessness after 2002
British Subjects were citizens of Commonwealth countries between 1949 and 1981. It ceased to exist as a citizenship category after January 1, 1983, except as applies to any British Subjects in Ireland prior to 1949. British subjects are not automatically citizens and are not entitled to British Citizenship. British Subjects – except those from Ireland prior to 1949 - should have lost this status when they became citizens of other countries (including the United Kingdom, in 1983).
- History of the British Passport
So called “Safe Conduct” documents were issued to English subjects and even foreigners in the Middle Ages; they were usually pieces of paper signed by the king. They were first acknowledged in law in the 1400s. Beginning in 1540, and running through 1685, the government issued passports, but they were still signed by the king. After 1685, the Secretary of State was allowed to sign as well and by 1794 all passports were signed by this office instead. This is where the first records of passports date from.
Passports were often written in Latin, and sometimes English, until 1772. French was used afterwards because of its use in most countries on the continent. In the mid 19th century, English came back into use, though some sections were still translated into French for decades afterwards. It was at this time that passports issued by the British Crown became restricted to British nationals.
In the 19th century the passport was just a piece of paper but by World War One they included the first passport photos. The British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914 was passed with the start of the war and a new version of the passport was created in order to ensure only British nationals used it. The passport changed a little here and there until 1968 when it became possible to get a British Passport for 10 years instead of five years. Additional security features – such as watermarks - were created in 1972 and an incredible 94-page passport was issued beginning in 1973. Passports were first laminated in 1975 and printing over this laminate began in 1981. In 1982, most personal information beyond the standard name and DOB were removed.
Machine-readable passports were first available in 1988. Photographs were replaced with digital images ten years later. The blue passports began to be phased out in 1993 as part of these security changes. Post-9/11 the British government was pressured to comply with the US Waiver program and so they introduced biometric passports (also known as ePassports) in 2006, allowing British Passport holders to use ESTA instead of applying for visas when traveling to the United States.
- Who is eligible for a British Passport?
All six classes of nationality are able to apply for a British Passport, though possession of this passport does not automatically guarantee British Citizenship. All British Passports can be withheld at the discretion of the Foreign Office or the Identity and Passport Service unless the applicant is a British National (Overseas). Most British Citizens and Subjects are normally able to enter and move around the EU.
Fun fact: the Queen does not require a passport, as all British passports are issued under her authority.
- Who issues the passport?
In the UK, British passports are issued by the Identity and Passport Service. Applications can normally be submitted by mail.
In the British overseas territories, British Overseas Territories Citizen Passports are issued in the territory, but British Citizen Passport applications need to be made to the appropriate regional processing centre,
depending on where you live.
The Foreign Office issues passports outside of British territory. Since 2009, most British diplomatic missions do not issue passports (only emergency, one-time-use passports). See
the list to see whether you need to apply at a processing centre.
- What is the right of abode?
It is the right to enter and live in the United Kingdom. It is held by all British citizens automatically. It is also held by some British subjects and any patrials under the Immigration Act 1971.
- Where do I submit my passport application?
In most cases, you will have to submit your application to a Regional Passport Processing Centre in one of a number of locations around the world. Find your country or territory in the lists below. Applications to processing centres should be made by mail or courier only. Please note that these lists are accurate for renewal applications only. For some countries, first time passport applications must be made in person at the required diplomatic mission. If you are applying to replace a lost or stolen passport, you may have to submit the application as you would a first passport. Please see the
first passport page for the appropriate submission centres.
Regional Processing Centre for Eastern,
Central & Northern Europe & the Middle East
Passport Section
British Consulate General
Yorck Strasse 19
40476 Düsseldorf
Germany
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Use if you are applying from:
- Albania
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Belarus*
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- Germany
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Macedonia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Norway
- Oma
- Poland
- Qatar
- Romania
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- If you are applying from within Belarus, you can apply - in person only - at the British Embassy in Minsk: British Embassy Minsk, 37 Karl Marx Street, 220030 Minsk , Belarus
Regional Processing Centre for
East Asia
British Consulate-General
RPPC - 5th Floor
1 Supreme Court Road
Hong Kong
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Use if you are applying from:
- Afghanistan*
- Bhutan
- Brunei
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Cambodia
- China
- East Timor (Timor leste)
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Japan
- South Korea
- Laos
- Macao
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Marshall Islands
- Micronesia
- Mongolia
- Nepal
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- If you are applying from within Afghanistan, you can apply - in person only - at the British Embassy in Kabul: British Embassy, 15th Street, Roundabout Wazir Akbar Khan, PO Box 334, Kabul, Afghanistan
Regional Processing Centre for the
Mediterranean
British Consulate-General Madrid
Torre Espacio
Paseo de la Castellana 259D
28046 Madrid
Spain
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Use if you are applying from:
Regional Processing Centre for
Western Europe & the Middle east
Regional Passport Processing Centre Paris
16 rue d’Anjou
75008 Paris
France
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Use if you are applying from:
- Israel
- Italy
- Palestine (West Bank only)
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- Switzerland
Regional Processing Centre for Africa
British Passport Section
British Consulate
256 Glyn Street
Hatfield, Pretoria
0083 South Africa
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Use if you are applying from:
- Angola
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Republic of the Congo
- Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Djibouti
- Ghana*
- Guinea
- Finland
- Guinea-Bissau
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi*
- Mali
- Mauritius
- Mayotte
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Namibia
- Reunion
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- South Africa*
- Swaziland
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Uganda*
- If you are applying from within Ghana, you can apply - in person only - at The Passport Officer, British High Commission, Osu Link, off Gamel Abdul Nasser Avenue, PO Box 296, Accra, Ghana
- If you are applying from within Malawi, and paying in cash, you can apply – in person only – at British High Commission, PO Box 30042, Lilongwe 3\
- If you are applying from or Durban or Port Elizabeth in South Africa, you can apply through the 1820 Settlers Association offices in those cities
- If you applying from within Uganda, and paying in cash, you can apply - in person only – at British High Commission in Kampala, 4 Windsor Loop, PO Box 7070
Regional Processing Centre
for the Americas
British Embassy
19 Observatory Circle N.W.
Washington DC 20008
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Use if you are applying from:
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Bermuda
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- British Virgin Islands
- Canada
- Cayman Islands
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Curacao
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- French Guiana
- Grenada
- Guadeloupe
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Martinique
- Mexico
- Montserrat
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- St. Barthelmy (Bethelmy, St. Barts)
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Maarten
- St. Pierre et Miquelon
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turks and Caicos
- United States
- Uruguay
Regional Passport Processing Centre for
the Pacific Islands
British High Commission
Wellington
44 Hill Street
Wellington 6011 New Zealand
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Use if you are applying one of the following countries. If you are applying from New Zealand itself, use New Zealand Post.
- American Samoa
- Christmas Island
- Cook Islands
- Fiji
- French Polynesia
- Kiribati
- Nauru
- New Caledonia
- Niue
- Norfolk Island
- Papua New Guinea
- Pitcairn Islands
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Tokelau
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
- Wallis and Futuna
Was your country not mentioned for the above centres? That means you do not have to apply to a Regional Passport Processing Centre. Find your country in the list below. Please note that if your country is on this list, you are likely required to provide additional documents with your application (unless you are applying in Australia or New Zealand).
- Australia: apply by Australia Post
- Algeria: in person only at British Consular Section, British Embasssy, 03, Chemin Capitaine Hocine Slimane, Ex Chemin des Glycines - Algiers
- Bangladesh: in person or by mail at British Passport Application, Passport Section, British High Commission, UN Road, Baridaha
- Benin: in person only at British Deputy High Commission, 11 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
- Burundi: in person only at British Embassy Liaison Office, Building Old East, Parcelle No1/2, Place de l'Independance, Bujumbura, Burundi
- Cape Verde: contact your nearest British diplomatic mission for details: British Honorary Consul, Rue Dr. Alberto Leite, Prédio da Papirus, 1 andar, C.P. 423, Mindelo, Cabo Verde
- Chad: for details contact
- Honorary Consul: Steve Banks, Mission Aviation Fellowship, BP 1182, N’Djamena, Chad
- British High Commission Yaounde, Avenue Winston Churchill, BP 547
- Cuba: in person only at British Embassy, Calle 34 no. 702 e/ 7ma y 17, Miramar, Playa la Habana, Cuba
- Eritrea: in person only at British Embassy, 66-68 Mariam Ghimbi Street, Zip Code 174, PO Box 5584, Asmara, Eritrea
- Ethiopia: in person only at British Embassy, Comoros Street, PO Box 858, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Gabon: for details contact British High Commission Yaounde, Avenue Winston Churchill, BP 547
- Gambia, the: in person only at British High Commission, 48 Atlantic Road, Fajara (PO Box 507), Banjul
- Gaza: in person only at British Information and Services Office, First Floor, Al-Riyad Tower, Jerusalem Street, Al-Rimal South, Gaza
- Georgia: in person only at British Embassy Tbilisi, 51 Krtsanisi street, 0114 Tbilisi
- India: by mail only to PPT Applications, British High Commission, Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, 110021
- Iran: you cannot make a UK passport application from Iran at this time. Please contact consularenquiries.tehran@fco.gov.uk for more information.
- Ireland: by mail or in person at Passport Office, British Embassy, 29 Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
- Jamaica: in person only at British High Commission, 28 Trafalgar Road, Kingston 10, Jamaica
- Jordan: in person only at British Consulate Amman, (PO Box 87) Abdoun, Amman 11118
- Kazakhstan: in person only at British Embassy Office, Almaty , Samal Towers, 97 Zholdasbekova street, Block A2, 9 Floor, 050051
- Kenya: by mail only to The Passport Office, British High Commission, Upper Hill Road, P.O.Box 30465-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
- North Korea: by mail or in person at British Embassy, Munsu-dong Diplomatic Compound, Pyongyang, DPRK
- Kyrgyzstan: in person only at British Embassy Almaty, Samal Towers, 97 Zholdasbekova street 97, Block A2, 9 Floor, Microdistrict Samal 2, Almaty 050051, Kazakhstan
- Lebanon: in person only at British Embassy, Embassies Complex, Armies Street, Zkak Al-Blat, Serail Hill, PO Box 11-471, Beirut
- Libya: in person only at British Embassy, Burj Tarablus (Tripoli Tower), 24th Floor, Sharia al Shat, Tripoli
- Mauritania: you cannot make a UK passport application from Mauritania at this time. Please apply through Morocco.
- Morocco: in person only at British Embassy, 28 Avenue S.A.R. Sidi Mohammed, Soussi 10105 (BP 45), Rabat
- New Zealand: apply through New Zealand Post
- Nigeria: in person only at British Deputy High Commission, 11 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos
- Pakistan: by mail or in person at British High Commission, Consular Section, Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad; 8AM-12PM, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays
- Russia: in person only at the following Embassy and Consulates. All offices are open Mon-Fri 9AM-12PM local time
- Consular Section in Moscow, Moscow 121099, Smolenskaya Naberezhnaya 10
- Consular Section St Petersburg, PL Proletarskoy Diktatury 5 Smolninskiy Raion, 191124 St Petersburg. Appointments are recommended: RussiaConsular@fco.gov.uk
- Consular Section Ekaterinburg, 15a Gogol Street, 620075 Ekaterinburg. Appointments are recommended: RussiaConsular@fco.gov.uk
- Sierra Leone: in person only at Consular Section, British High Commission, 6 Spur Road, Wilberforce, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Somalia: you cannot make a UK passport application from Somalia at this time. Please apply through Ethiopia or Kenya
- Sudan and South Sudan: in person only at British Embassy Sudan, Off Sharia Al-Baladiya, Khartoum, PO BOX 801
- Syria: you cannot make a UK passport application from Syria at this time. Please contanct consularenquiries.damascus@fco.gov.uk for more information or apply from Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon or Turkey.
- Tajikistan: by mail only to British Embassy in Dushanbe, 65 Mirzo Tursunzade Street, Dushanbe 734002, Tajikistan
- Tunisia: in person only at British Embassy, Rue du Lac Windermere, Les Berges du Lac, Tunis 1053
- Turkmenistan: in person only at British Embassy, Four Points Ak Altin Hotel, 301-308 Office Building, Ashgabat,
Turkmenistan
- Ukraine: in person only at Consular Section, British Embassy Kyiv, 9 Desyatynna street, Kyiv 01901 Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Uzbekistan: in person only at British Embassy, 67, Gulyamova str., Tashkent, Uzbekistan
- Venezuela: in person only at British Embassy, Avenida Principal de la Castellana, Torre La Castellana, Piso 11, Caracas 1060 Venezuela
- Western Sahara: you cannot make a UK passport application from Western Sahara at this time. Please apply through Morocco
- Yemen: you cannot make a UK passport application from Yemen at this time. Please apply through Jordan
- Zambia: in person only at British High Commission, 5210 Independence Avenue, PO Box 50050, 15101 Ridgeway
- Zimbabwe: in person only at British Embassy, 3 Norfolk Road, Mount Pleasant, Harare
- What is the cost for a UK Passport renewal?
A regular, 32-page passport costs USD$211 plus a courier fee of USD$33. A 48-page passport costs USD$255 plus the courier fee. If you use a representative, such as Immigroup, it will cost more. See
our fees.
- How do I keep my British nationality status?
The UK allows dual citizenship. As long as you have registered for your status (some categories of British nationality require registration to be effective) you should be able to be a Canadian and a British national at the same time (the exception is for British Protected Persons, who would lose this status if they became Canadian Citizens). You do not have to do anything else to keep this status, though renewing your passport once it is expired helps keep you from having to deal with red tape should you ever need this passport in the future.
- What is an emergency passport?
An emergency passport is issued by British diplomatic missions to British nationals who need to travel in emergency situations. It is good for one use only.
- Can I put my child on my passport when I renew it?
No, your child requires
their own passport. It is no longer acceptable for British Children to travel on their parents’ passports.
- Will I lose British Citizenship if I get a Canadian passport?
No, the UK recognizes dual citizenship.
- How do I get certified copies of my supporting documents?
To have a copy certified, an authorized person must compare the original document to the photocopy and must print the following on the photocopy:
- “I certify that this is a true copy of the original document”
- the name of the original document
- the date of the certification
- his or her name
- his or her official position or title and
- his or her signature
Important: The person who certifies your photocopies cannot be a family member.
Who can certify copies?
Persons authorized to certify copies include the following:
- Chiropractor
- Commissioner of oaths
- Dentist
- Funeral director
- Justice of the peace or judge
- Lawyer
- Manager of a financial institution
- Medical doctor
- Member of a provincial legislature
- Member of Parliament
- Minister of religion
- Municipal clerk
- Notary
- Official of an embassy, consulate or high commission officially accredited to Canada and authorize to certify document issued by the official’s government
- Official of a federal or provincial government department
- Pharmacist
- Police officer
- Postmaster
- Primary, secondary or university teacher
- Professional accountant
- Professional engineer
- Social worker
- Veterinarian
The Person certifying your photocopies does not need to know you personally.
- Does the person certifying my copies need to be a British National?
No, they do not.
- Do I need a PR Card if I have a British Passport?
Yes, you do. You need a PR Card to enter Canada. You can enter Canada on your British Passport without a visa, however repeated attempts to do this could cause problems. Best to be safe and use your PR Card. For dual citizens of Canada and the UK you do not require a permanent resident card. Your Canadian passport and / or citizenship certificate as proof of your status.
- When is my passport damaged?
When it can be no longer read by a machine or an officer. When in doubt, renew!
- Can I travel with more than one passport?
As long as they are issued by different countries, of course you can. If you are a national of the country you are traveling to, be sure to use that passport when entering, and not your other passport, to speed up your process through customs.
- I have a UK passport. Am I a Canadian Citizen?
Unless you were a British subject living in Canada prior to 1949, you need to
apply for Canadian Citizenship. The UK recognizes dual citizenship, so you can become a Canadian.
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