Registering a child as a British citizen
Children born in the UK to non-British parents, and the routes that let them register as British.
Rules and fees checked against gov.uk on 8 November 2026. Page updated 8 November 2026. How we check our guides.
- Who it is for
- Children under 18 who are not British by birth but have a connection to the UK
- Fee
- £1,214 per child (waivers available)
- Most common routes
- Parent gains settlement or citizenship; child lives in the UK for 10 years from birth
- Good character
- Applies from age 10
A child born in the UK is not automatically British. Since 1 January 1983 a child born here is British at birth only if a parent was British or settled at the time. Children of parents on visas, and children born abroad to non-British parents, become British by registration, which has several routes, most of them entitlements rather than discretion.
Children born in the UK
- A parent becomes settled or British while the child is under 18 (section 1(3)). This is an entitlement: the child must be registered on application. Most families do it alongside the parent's ILR or citizenship application.
- Ten years' residence from birth (section 1(4)). A child born here who has lived in the UK for the first ten years of life, with no more than 90 days' absence in each of those years, is entitled to register at any age, even as an adult. It does not matter what status the parents had or have.
- Discretion (section 3(1)) for children who fit neither, where the Home Secretary thinks fit; the guidance favours children whose future clearly lies in the UK.
Children born outside the UK
- A parent is British by descent and has lived in the UK for three years (section 3(5), the family all living in the UK; or section 3(2), the parent having lived here three years before the birth).
- Discretion under section 3(1): the usual case is a child who comes to the UK with parents who later settle, and who is registered when the parents apply for citizenship. The guidance normally expects the child to be settled and both parents to be, or become, British.
Requirements
Consent from both parents (or one with explanation), the child's birth certificate, evidence of the parents' status, and proof of the child's residence where the route needs it. Children aged ten or over must meet the good character requirement. There is no Life in the UK test or English requirement for children.
Cost
The fee is £1,214 per child. Since 2022 a fee waiver is available where the child or the parents cannot afford it; the Home Office assesses the family's finances. Children registered under section 1(4) who apply as adults pay the adult fee. Processing takes up to six months. Children under 18 do not attend a ceremony, although 18-year-olds registered on turning 18 do.
Timing
Register while the child is a child. Several routes (the parent-settles route in particular) are only available while the child is under 18; the day they turn 18 they must instead qualify in their own right as an adult, which usually means five years of residence and the full tests. If a parent's ILR is granted shortly before a child's 18th birthday, register the child immediately rather than waiting for the parent's citizenship.