History of British Nationality Law - British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914

British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914

This legislation came into force on 1 January 1915. British subject status was acquired as follows:

  • birth within His Majesty's dominions
  • naturalisation in the United Kingdom or a part of His Majesty's dominions which had adopted Imperial naturalisation criteria
  • descent through the legitimate male line (child born outside His Majesty's dominions to a British subject father). This was limited to one generation although further legislation in 1922 allowed subsequent generations born overseas to be registered as British subjects within one year of birth.
  • foreign women who married British subject men
  • former British subjects who had lost British subject status on marriage or through a parent's loss of status could resume it in specific circumstances (e.g. if a woman became widowed, or children immediately upon turning 21).

British subject status was normally lost by:

  • naturalisation in a foreign state, such as the United States of America or France
  • in the case of a woman, upon marriage to a foreign man. Prior to 1933, British subject status was lost even if the woman did not acquire her husband's nationality.
  • a child of a father who lost British subject status, provided the child also had the father's new nationality.
  • renunciation.

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