British Nationality Act 1948

Citizenship by registration

6 Registration of citizens of countries mentioned in s. 1 (3) or of Eire and wives of citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies

(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (3) of this section, a citizen of any country mentioned in subsection (3) of section one of this Act or a citizen of Eire, being a person of full age and capacity, shall be entitled, on making application therefor to the Secretary of State in the prescribed manner, to be registered as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies if he satisfies the Secretary of State either—

(a) that he is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and has been so resident throughout the period of twelve months, or such shorter period as the Secretary of State may in the special circumstances of any particular case accept, immediately preceding his application ; or

(b) that he is in Crown service under His Majesty's government in the United Kingdom.

(2) Subject to the provisions of subsection (3) of this section, a woman who has been married to a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies shall be entitled, on making application therefor to the Secretary of State in the prescribed manner, and, if she is a British protected person or an alien, on taking an oath of allegiance in the form specified in the First Schedule to this Act, to be registered as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies, whether or not she is of full age and capacity.

(3) A person who has renounced, or has been deprived of, citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies under this Act shall not be entitled to be registered as a citizen thereof under this section, but may be so registered with the approval of the Secretary of State.

7 Registration of minors

(1) The Secretary of State may cause the minor child of any citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies to be registered as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies upon application made in the prescribed manner by a parent or guardian of the child.

(2) The Secretary of State may, in such special circumstances as he thinks fit, cause any minor to be registered as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies.

8 Registration in countries mentioned in s. 1 (3), colonies, etc.

(1) The functions of the Secretary of State under the last two foregoing sections shall in any colony, protectorate or United Kingdom trust territory be exercised by the Governor; and those sections shall, in their application to any colony, protectorate or United Kingdom trust territory, have effect as if for references therein to the Secretary of State there were substituted references to the Governor, and as if for the reference in the first of the said sections to ordinary residence in the United Kingdom there were substituted a reference to ordinary residence in that colony, protectorate or territory as the case may be.

(2) The Secretary of State may make arrangements for the exercise in any country mentioned in subsection (3) of section one of this Act of any of his functions under the last two foregoing sections by the High Commissioner for His Majesty's government in the United Kingdom.

9 Effect of registration as a citizen

A person registered under any of the last three foregoing sections shall be a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies by registration as from the date on which he is registered.