Part V

Miscellaneous and Supplementary

Registration: requirement to be of good character
41A
1
An application for registration of an adult or young person as a British citizen under section 1(3), (3A) or (4), 3(1), (2) or (5), 4(2) or (5), 4A,
4AA,
... 4D,
... 5, 10(1) or (2) or 13(1) or (3) must not be granted unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that the adult or young person is of good character.
1A
An application for registration of an adult or young person as a British citizen under section 4F, so far as the relevant registration provision (as defined in section 4F(2)) is section 1(3), 3(2)
, 3(5) or 4D
, must not be granted unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that the adult or young person is of good character.
2
An application for registration of an adult or young person as a British overseas territories citizen under section 15(3) or (4), 17(1)
, (2)
or (5), 22(1) or (2) or 24 must not be granted unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that the adult or young person is of good character.
2A
An application for registration of an adult or young person as a British overseas territories citizen under section 17C, so far as the relevant registration provision (as defined in section 17C(2)) is section 15(3), 17(2) or 17(5), must not be granted unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that the adult or young person is of good character.
2B
Subsection (2C) applies to an application for registration of an adult or young person as a British citizen under section 4K who is, or would have been, entitled to be registered as a British overseas territories citizen under section 17C, so far as the relevant registration provision (as defined in section 17C(2)) is section 15(3), 17(2) or 17(5).
2C
The application must not be granted unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that the adult or young person is of good character.
3
An application for registration of an adult or young person as a British Overseas citizen under section 27(1) must not be granted unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that the adult or young person is of good character.
4
An application for registration of an adult or young person as a British subject under section 32 must not be granted unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that the adult or young person is of good character.
5
In this section, “
adult or young person
” means a person who has attained the age of 10 years at the time when the application is made.
S. 41A inserted (13.1.2010) by Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 (c. 11), ss. 47(1), 58; S.I. 2009/2731, art. 4(f)
Pt. V (ss. 36–53) extended by S.I. 1983/882, art. 3(5)
S. 41A(1A) inserted (25.7.2019) by The British Nationality Act 1981 (Remedial) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/1164), arts. 1(1), 2(3)
Word in s. 41A(2) inserted (28.6.2022) by Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), ss. 5(2), 87(1); S.I. 2022/590, regs. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 4 (with Sch. 2 para. 1)
Words in s. 41A(1A) substituted (28.6.2022) by Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), ss. 7(4), 87(1); S.I. 2022/590, regs. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 6
S. 41A(2A) inserted (28.6.2022) by Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), ss. 2(4), 87(1); S.I. 2022/590, regs. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 2
S. 41A(2B)(2C) inserted (28.6.2022) by Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), ss. 4(4), 87(1); S.I. 2022/590, regs. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 3
Words in s. 41A(1) omitted (25.7.2019) by virtue of The British Nationality Act 1981 (Remedial) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/1164), arts. 1(1), 2(2)
Word in s. 41A(1) inserted (22.7.2025) by British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024 (c. 19), ss. 1(3), 2(3); S.I. 2025/787, reg. 2