Citizenship (Armed Forces) Act 2014

2014 CHAPTER 8

An Act to make provision in connection with applications for naturalisation as a British citizen made by members or former members of the armed forces.

[13th March 2014]

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1 Applications for citizenship by members or former members of armed forces

(1) Schedule 1 to the British Nationality Act 1981 (requirements for naturalisation as a British citizen under section 6(1) of that Act) is amended in accordance with subsections (2) and (3).

(2) Paragraph 2 becomes sub-paragraph (1) of that paragraph.

(3) After that sub-paragraph insert—

“(2) Sub-paragraph (3) applies in a case where, on the date of the application, the applicant is or has been a member of the armed forces.

(3) If in the special circumstances of the particular case the Secretary of State thinks fit, he may for the purposes of paragraph 1 treat the applicant as fulfilling the requirement specified in paragraph 1(2)(a) although the applicant was not in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the period there mentioned.”

(4) In section 39 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 (which contains further amendments of paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the British Nationality Act 1981)—

(a) in subsection (4) for the words from the beginning to “paragraph)” substitute “In sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 2 of that Schedule”;

(b) in subsection (9) for the words “After that sub-paragraph insert” substitute “For sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) of paragraph 2 substitute”.

2 Citation, commencement and extent

(1) This Act may be cited as the Citizenship (Armed Forces) Act 2014.

(2) This Act comes into force at the end of the period of two months beginning with the day on which it is passed.

(3) This Act extends to—

(a) England and Wales,

(b) Scotland,

(c) Northern Ireland,

(d) the Channel Islands,

(e) the Isle of Man, and

(f) the British overseas territories.