Supporting documents for applications made inside the UK

This page lists the documents that you you must send UK Border Agency when you apply from inside the UK for a certificate of entitlement to right of abode.

The Right of abode page explains who can and should apply for a certificate. To find out how to apply for a certificate, see the How to apply page.

You must send UKBA:

• your valid passport or travel document - if your passport was not issued in the UK, it must contain immigration stamps showing that you are living here;
• 2 passport-size photographs of you, taken within the past 6 months; and
• the documents needed to prove that you have a right of abode - see below.

You must send the original documents, not photocopies. Birth certificates and marriage certificates should be the ones issued at the time of birth or marriage. If they are not, please explain why.

If you want UKBA to return your documents by signed-for delivery, you should enclose a pre-paid self-addressed Royal Mail special delivery (or recorded signed for delivery) envelope. The envelope should be the correct one for the size and weight of your documents, and should be insured to the appropriate level for the documents' value. See the Royal Mail website for further information. If you do not enclose this envelope with your application, UKBA will return your documents by Royal Mail 2nd-class post.

If you need UKBA to return your documents urgently, you can phone their nationality contact centre. Please do not phone them to check the progress of your application.

Documents to prove your right of abode

If you were registered or naturalised as a British citizen on or after 1 January 1983

You should send your registration or naturalisation certificate.

If you were registered or naturalised in the UK as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies before 1 January 1983

You should send your registration or naturalisation certificate.

If you were born in the UK before 1 January 1983

You should send your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details.

If you are a Commonwealth (not British) citizen born before 1 January 1983 to a parent who was born in the UK

You should send:

• your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details; and
• your parent's full UK birth certificate.

If you are a female Commonwealth citizen who was married before 1 January 1983 to a man with right of abode in the UK

You should send:

• your marriage certificate; and
• evidence of your husband's right of abode, such as his passport or UK birth certificate.

If you were born in the UK or the Falkland Islands on or after 1 January 1983, or in another qualifying British overseas territory on or after 21 May 2002

You should send:

• your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details; and
• evidence of either parent's British citizenship or settled status at the time of your birth, such as a passport describing them as a British citizen or showing that they had indefinite leave to remain at the time of your birth; and
• your parents' marriage certificate, if you are claiming through your father.

If you were born outside the UK and the Falkland Islands on or after 1 January 1983, or outside the UK and any qualifying British overseas territory on or after 21 May 2002, to a parent who was born in the UK or the Falkland Islands or, on or after 21 May 2002, any qualifying British overseas territory, or registered or naturalised in the UK before your birth

You should send:

• your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details; and
• your parents' marriage certificate, if you are claiming through your father; and
• the relevant parent's full birth certificate, registration or naturalisation certificate.

If you were born outside the UK and the Falkland Islands on or after 1 January 1983, or outside the United Kingdom and any qualifying British overseas territory on or after 21 May 2002, to a parent who, at the time of your birth, was a British citizen in Crown service or a designated service

You should send:

• your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details; and
• your parents' marriage certificate, if you are claiming through your father; and
• evidence of your parent's relevant employment at the time of your birth, such as a letter from the employer.

If you were adopted in the UK, a qualifying British overseas territory, or otherwise under the terms of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption

You should send:

• your adoption certificate; and
• evidence of your adoptive parents' citizenship (such as a passport); and
• if a convention adoption, evidence of your parents' place of habitual residence at the time of the adoption (such as your adoption certificate).

If you were a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies and were ordinarily resident in the UK for a continuous period of 5 years before 1 January 1983, and were settled in the UK at the end of that period

You should send evidence of:

• your citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies, such as a passport, or certificate of naturalisation or registration; and
• your settlement and 5 years of ordinary residence in the UK before 1983, such as your passport, P60 tax forms, details of National Insurance contributions, social security claims or employers' letters.

If you were a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies and had a parent who was born, adopted, registered or naturalised in the UK before your birth or adoption

You should send:

• your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details, or your adoption certificate; and
• your parents' marriage certificate, if claiming through your father; and
• the relevant parent's full birth certificate or certificate of adoption, registration or naturalisation.

If you were a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies and had a grandparent who was born, adopted, registered or naturalised in the UK before your parent's birth or adoption

You should send:

• your parents' marriage certificate, if you are claiming through your father; and
• your relevant parent's full birth certificate or adoption certificate; and
• your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details, or your adoption certificate; and
• your grandparents' marriage certificate, if you are claiming through your grandfather; and
• the relevant grandparent's full birth certificate, or certificate of adoption, registration or naturalisation.

Frequently Asked Questions

• If you were registered or naturalised as a British citizen on or after 1 January 1983: You should send your registration or naturalisation certificate.
• If you were registered or naturalised in the UK as a citizen of the UK and Colonies before 1 January 1983: You should send your registration or naturalisation certificate.
• If you were born in the UK before 1 January 1983: You should send your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details.
• If you are a Commonwealth (not British) citizen born before 1 January 1983 to a parent who was born in the UK

  You should send:

  • your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details; and
  • your parent's full UK birth certificate.
• If you are a female Commonwealth citizen who was married before 1 January 1983 to a man with right of abode in the UK

  You should send:

  • your marriage certificate; and
  • evidence of your husband's right of abode, such as his passport or UK birth certificate.
• If you were born in the UK or the Falkland Islands on or after 1 January 1983, or in another qualifying British overseas territory on or after 21 May 2002

  You should send:

  • your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details; and
  • evidence of either parent's British citizenship or settled status at the time of your birth, such as a passport describing them as a British citizen or showing that they had indefinite leave to remain at the time of your birth; and
  • your parents' marriage certificate, if you are claiming through your father.
• If you were born outside the UK and the Falkland Islands on or after 1 January 1983, or outside the UK and any qualifying British overseas territory on or after 21 May 2002, to a parent who was born in the UK or the Falkland Islands or, on or after 21 May 2002, any qualifying British overseas territory, or registered or naturalised in the UK before your birth

  You should send:

  • your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details; and
  • your parents' marriage certificate, if you are claiming through your father; and
  • the relevant parent's full birth certificate, registration or naturalisation certificate
• If you were born outside the UK and the Falkland Islands on or after 1 January 1983, or outside the United Kingdom and any qualifying British overseas territory on or after 21 May 2002, to a parent who, at the time of your birth, was a British citizen in Crown service or a designated service

  You should send:

  • your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details;
  • your parents' marriage certificate, if you are claiming through your father; and
  • evidence of your parent's relevant employment at the time of your birth, such as a letter from the employer.
• If you were adopted in the UK, a qualifying British overseas territory, or otherwise under the terms of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption

  You should send:

  • your adoption certificate;
  • evidence of your adoptive parents' citizenship (such as a passport); and
  • if a convention adoption, evidence of your parents' place of habitual residence at the time of the adoption (such as your adoption certificate)
• If you were a citizen of the UK and Colonies and were ordinarily resident in the UK for a continuous period of 5 years before 1 January 1983, and were settled in the UK at the end of that period

  You should send evidence of:

  • your citizenship of the UK and Colonies, such as a passport, or certificate of naturalisation or registration; and
  • your settlement and 5 years of ordinary residence in the UK before 1983, such as your passport, P60 tax forms, details of National Insurance contributions, social security claims or employers' letters.
• If you were a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies and had a parent who was born, adopted, registered or naturalised in the UK before your birth or adoption

  You should send:

  • your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details, or your adoption certificate;
  • your parents' marriage certificate, if claiming through your father; and
  • the relevant parent's full birth certificate or certificate of adoption, registration or naturalisation.
• If you were a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies and had a grandparent who was born, adopted, registered or naturalised in the UK before your parent's birth or adoption

  You should send:

  • your parents' marriage certificate, if you are claiming through your father;
  • your relevant parent's full birth certificate or adoption certificate;
  • your full birth certificate, showing your parents' details, or your adoption certificate;
  • your grandparents' marriage certificate, if you are claiming through your grandfather;and
  • the relevant grandparent's full birth certificate, or certificate of adoption, registration or naturalisation.

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Source:

UK Border Agency

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