Is my child born in the UK British? Citizenship and passport

In short

• Not always. Being born in the UK does not automatically make a child a British citizen: it depends on the date of birth and the parents' circumstances (as of November 2026; GOV.UK). A child born in the UK on or after 1 July 2006 is British if, at the time of birth, at least one of several conditions applies, including that either parent was a British citizen or "settled" in the UK (as of November 2026; Home Office guidance).
• A parent with settled status who is ordinarily resident in the UK: their child born in the UK is British. For a parent with pre-settled status it depends on the details described below (as of November 2026; GOV.UK).
• A child who is not British can in certain cases be registered. Registration costs £1,000 and a decision usually takes 6 months (as of November 2026; GOV.UK).
• A child born in the UK who is not British and is eligible for the EUSS needs their own application to the scheme; for such children born or adopted in the UK on or after 1 April 2021 the deadline is 90 days (as of November 2026; GOV.UK).
• Only a child with British nationality can get a British passport. A child passport costs £66.50 online and £80 on paper and is valid for 5 years (as of November 2026; GOV.UK).

When is a child born in the UK British from birth

According to the Home Office guidance (as of November 2026) a person born in the UK on or after 1 July 2006 is a British citizen if, at the time of birth, at least one of the following applies:

• either parent is a British citizen;
• either parent is "settled" in the UK;
• either parent is a member of the UK armed forces and the child was born on or after 13 January 2010.

The GOV.UK guide adds that a child born in the UK on or after 1 July 2021 is British if, at the time of birth, at least one parent was a British citizen or an Irish citizen living in the UK.

According to the same guidance a person is "settled" if they meet both conditions: they are not subject under the immigration laws to any restriction on the period for which they may remain in the UK, and they are ordinarily resident in the UK. People who are not regarded as "settled" include those with limited leave and those in the UK in breach of the immigration laws.

If the child was born in the UK after 31 December 1982 and the parents were not British or Irish, you need to check their immigration status at the time of the birth (Check if you're a British citizen).

A parent from the EU: settled status, pre-settled status and permanent residence

Through the EU Settlement Scheme people could get settled status (ILR) or pre-settled status (limited leave); we describe both in the guide EU Settlement Scheme: settled and pre-settled status, share codes. For a parent from the EU or EEA, the child's date of birth matters (as of November 2026):

Sources: Home Office (Form MN1: guidance), GOV.UK. For children born before 1 July 2006, check the separate rules on GOV.UK.

Settled status. According to the Home Office guidance a parent with settled status is free from immigration time restrictions in the UK, so if they are ordinarily resident, their child born in the UK is British.

Pre-settled status. According to GOV.UK a child born in the UK to a parent with pre-settled status may get pre-settled status, and is British only if they qualify through their other parent. The guide to checking citizenship describes an exception: the child may already be British if the parent can show that, when the child was born, they met all of the following:

• they had pre-settled status;
• they are from the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and started living in the UK by 31 December 2020;
• they lived in the UK for 5 years in a row and in that time were working (or looking for work for up to 3 months), studying or self-sufficient.

Permanent residence status. According to GOV.UK it stopped being valid on 1 July 2021. In most cases a child born on or after that date to a parent with permanent residence status alone was not automatically British. The child is British, however, if the parent applied for settled status on or before 30 June 2021 and the child was born before the parent got a decision on that application.

A parent was granted settled status after the child's birth. If a parent was granted settled status after the child's birth, check the specific conditions for automatic acquisition of citizenship in the GOV.UK guide. The case described there applies to children born in the UK on or after 1 July 2021; a later grant of settled status to a parent does not by itself establish the child's citizenship.

The child is not British: EUSS and registration

According to GOV.UK (as of November 2026) a child born in the UK who is not British and is eligible for the EUSS needs their own application to the scheme. For such children born or adopted in the UK on or after 1 April 2021, the deadline is 90 days from birth or adoption.

According to GOV.UK (as of November 2026) a child born in the UK who is under 18 on the day they apply can be registered as a British citizen if one of their parents considered the UK as their home and, after the child was born:

• became a British citizen;
• got ILR in the UK;
• got settled status;
• got permanent residence status.

We describe a parent's naturalisation in the guide British citizenship for EU citizens: naturalisation after settled status.

According to the Home Office guidance on form MN1 (August 2026; as of November 2026) there are other routes:

• a child born in the UK whose parents were not British citizens or "settled" has an entitlement to register (section 1(3)) when one of the parents becomes "settled" or a British citizen;
• a child who lives in the UK for the first 10 years of their life can apply under section 1(4) using form T; according to GOV.UK a child born on or after 1 July 2006 can register this way if, when they were born, neither parent was a British citizen or "settled", and the child did not spend more than 90 days outside the UK in any of the first 10 years of their life.

A child aged 10 or over must be of good character.

How much registration costs and how to apply

According to the Home Office fees table in force from 8 October 2026 and GOV.UK (as of November 2026) registering a child as a British citizen costs £1,000. If the child turns 18 during the application process you will need to pay an extra £130 for the ceremony; the Home Office will ask for it at the point of decision. From April 2027 the amounts may be different. A child under 18 who cannot afford the fee may be able to apply for a fee waiver (GOV.UK). A decision usually takes 6 months.

1. Check that your child qualifies for registration and prepare the documents. According to the MN1 guidance, for children living in the UK you need, among other things, the child's full birth certificate and the parents' marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate. We describe registering a birth in the UK in the guide Dentists, vaccinations and pregnancy on the NHS.
2. Find 2 referees who meet the MN1 guidance requirements. Normally, at least one must have dealt with the child in a professional role, such as a teacher, doctor, health visitor or social worker. If you cannot find such a person and provide evidence of your attempts, the Home Office may accept two referees who meet the criteria for adult applications.
3. Fill in the application online; you can also apply by post (the paper form MN1; Home Office).
4. Make an appointment at a UKVCAS service point and provide biometric information (fingerprints and a photo). Children under 5 do not give fingerprints, but have a digital photo of their face taken. A child under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
5. Wait for the decision. If your circumstances change (for example you move), tell UKVI: nationalityfurtherinformationrequests@homeoffice.gov.uk.

A child who is under 18 when the application is decided becomes a British citizen on the date the application is approved and does not need to attend a citizenship ceremony.

How to get your child's first British passport

According to GOV.UK (as of November 2026; fees are also given in the passport fees table) a child passport is for children under 16, costs £66.50 online and £80 with a paper form from the Post Office, and is valid for 5 years. Your child must have British nationality to be eligible for a British passport. Someone with parental responsibility must apply. You give both parents' details in the application, or say why you cannot provide the other parent's details.

• Online: after you have paid and submitted the application, ask someone to confirm your child's identity. That person must, among other things, be 18 or over and have known the adult making the application for a child under 16 for at least 2 years (GOV.UK).
• On paper: you fill in sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9, and a child aged 12 or over signs section 6. The countersignatory fills in section 10 and certifies the child's photo; according to GOV.UK they must, among other things, have known the adult who signed the form for a child under 16 for at least 2 years.

If you apply by post, you send, among other things, 2 new photos of your child, the child's full birth or adoption certificate with the parents' details, and proof that your child has British nationality (for example a British registration certificate). You must send original documents or official copies of certificates; photocopies are not accepted, even "certified copies". According to the HM Passport Office guidance for paper applications, evidence of a parent's immigration status at the time of the birth can be their passport from that time or a Unique Application Number, if the parent was granted ILR under the EU Settlement Scheme (16 digits in the format xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx).

According to HM Passport Office you will usually get the passport within 3 weeks (applications in the UK), but it may take longer if more information is needed or an interview.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to register a child who is already British?

No. According to GOV.UK (as of November 2026) if you do not need to apply for citizenship, you can apply for a passport instead, or ask for a letter confirming citizenship.

Does a child need to take the Life in the UK test?

No. According to GOV.UK (as of November 2026) people under 18 do not need to take the test.

Can a child also hold another citizenship?

GOV.UK (as of November 2026) says that dual citizenship is allowed in the UK. According to the MN1 guidance, under the nationality laws of some countries a person will automatically lose their nationality if they become a citizen of another country, so ask the country of which the child is a citizen before you apply. We describe the Polish side of the matter (birth certificate, PESEL, passport) in the guide Transcribing a UK birth certificate in Poland: PESEL and passport for your child.

Where to get help

Phone numbers and hours: as of November 2026.

• Passport Adviceline: 0300 222 0000, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday, Sunday and UK bank holidays 9am to 5:30pm (GOV.UK).
• Checking your child's citizenship: Check if you're a British citizen (GOV.UK).
• Related guides: Starting school in the UK: applications, year groups and early support.