Age Discrimination in Nationality Laws

Posted on September 23, 2010



Children born before 2006 to unwed fathers would have had to register as being British before they were 18 removing adults from making the choice and leaving it to their mothers to make such a decision. It has caused many individuals who have felt they are British to be stuck off and ignored be they born in the UK or abroad.

In much the same manner children born to British mothers before 1961 had also been ignored until the passage of the new law in 2009 that remedied this long standing issue. However it is not without issues as fees, background checks, and attendance requirements of civil ceremonies are imposed upon them. This policy of procedures are also designed to exclude and has resulted in economic discrimination in many cases.

These are two very distinct groups of children who have British/English parents and are discriminated. In many cases many have younger siblings and they do not undergo this level of discriminatory practices as they are considered to be automatic nationals.

A third group of children who are also discriminated against and the rules can be different again for their own siblings are those children born abroad to British citizens by descent. It is possible to have a scenario in which one child can be born abroad and the other born in UK and one would not have nationality while the other would!

There are numerous people who have been trying to bring these disparities and inconsistencies to the notice of the immigration officials and the government in general in order to make amendments to the law so that all persons born of the same circumstances and parents are treated equally.