British Nationality Act 1948

1. Introductory Text

2. PART I British Nationality

   1. 1. British nationality by virtue of citizenship

   2. 2. Continuation of certain citizens of Eire as British subjects

   3. 3. Limitation of criminal liability of citizens of countries mentioned in s. 1 (3) and Eire. Status of citizens of Eire and British protected persons

3. PART II Citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies

   1. Citizenship by birth or descent

      1. 4. Citizenship by birth

      2. 5. Citizenship by descent

   2. Citizenship by registration

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

      2. 7. Registration of minors

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

      4. 9. Effect of registration as a citizen

   3. Citizenship by naturalisation

      1. 10. Naturalisation of aliens and British protected persons

   4. Citizenship by incorporation of territory

      1. 11. Power to specify citizens by Order in Council on incorporation of territory

   5. Transitional

      1. 12. British subjects before commencement of Act becoming citizens of United Kingdom and Colonies

      2. 13. British subjects whose citizenship has not been ascertained at the commencement of this Act

      3. 14. Women who have ceased to be British subjects by reason of marriage

      4. 15. Persons who have ceased to be British subjects by failure to make declaration of retention of British Nationality

      5. 16. Persons who have ceased to be British subjects on loss of British nationality by parent

      6. 17. Registration of births occurring before commencement of Act

      7. 18. Applications for naturalisation pending at the commencement of Act

   6. Renunciation and Deprivation of citizenship

      1. 19. Renunciation of citizenship by reason of dual citizenship or nationality

      2. 20. Deprivation of citizenship

      3. 21. Deprivation of citizenship of United Kingdom and Colonies where persons deprived of citizenship elsewhere

      4. 22. Deprivation in colonies and other territories

4. PART III Supplemental

   1. 23. Legitimated children

   2. 24. Posthumous children

   3. 25. Certificate of citizenship in case of doubt

   4. 26. Discretion of Secretary of State, Governor or High Commissioner

   5. 27. Evidence

   6. 28. Offences

   7. 29. Orders in Council, regulations and rules

   8. 30. Protectorates and protected states

   9. 31. Assimilation of status of natural-born and other British subjects under existing enactments

   10. 32. Interpretation

   11. 33. Channel Islands and Isle of Man

   12. 34. Short title, commencement and repeal

5. SCHEDULES

   1. FIRST SCHEDULE

      Oath of Allegiance

   2. SECOND SCHEDULE

      Qualifications for Naturalisation

      1. Aliens

         1. 1. Subject to the provisions of the next following paragraph, the...

         2. 2. The Secretary of State may if in the special circumstances...

      2. British protected persons

         1. 3. The qualifications for naturalisation of a British protected person who...

      3. Application to colonies, protectorates and trust territories

         1. 4. The foregoing provisions of this Schedule shall, in their application...

   3. THIRD SCHEDULE

      British Subjects without Citizenship under Section Thirteen of this Act

      1. 1. The law in force before the commencement of this Act...

      2. 2. So long as a person remains a British subject without...

      3. 3. If while a male person remains a British subject without...

   4. FOURTH SCHEDULE

      Enactments Repealed

      1. PART I Enactments relating to Natural-Born British Subjects

      2. PART II Other Enactments