Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006

58 Acquisition of British nationality, &c.

(1) The Secretary of State shall not grant an application for registration of an adult or young person as a citizen of any description or as a British subject under a provision listed in subsection (2) unless satisfied that the adult or young person is of good character.

(2) Those provisions are—

(a) sections 1(3) and (4), 3(1) and (5), 4(2) and (5), 4A, 4C, 5, 10(1) and (2), 13(1) and (3) of the British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61) (registration as British citizen),

(b) sections 15(3) and (4), 17(1) and (5), 22(1) and (2), 24, 27(1) and 32 of that Act (registration as British overseas territories citizen, &c.),

(c) section 1 of the Hong Kong (War Wives and Widows) Act 1996 (c. 41) (registration as British citizen), and

(d) section 1 of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 (c. 20) (registration as British citizen).

(3) In subsection (1) “adult or young person” means a person who has attained the age of 10 at the time when the application is made.

(4) Where the Secretary of State makes arrangements under section 43 of the British Nationality Act 1981 for a function to be exercised by some other person, subsection (1) above shall have effect in relation to that function as if the reference to the Secretary of State were a reference to that other person.