British Ancestry - Dual Citizenship - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

vrsmith · #1 11-09-2002, 01:12 AM

My mother was born in England. Recently, I talked to a fellow
Canadian and found that he held dual Canadian-British citizenship
by virtue of his father's British citizenship. When I got home, I
checked the web and found that anyone who's father was born
in England could claim British citizenship. Further, anyone born
after 1983 would be British if either parent was born in Britain.
Since only my mother was born in Britain and I was born before
1983, I was not eligible for British citizenship, but a certain
British immigration right was, (is), mine for the asking.
I belive that we all owe it to ourselves to acquire any immigration
benefits offered. You might be American, Canadian or whatever,
but other governments can consider you one of theirs by virtue
of you ancestry. This, I believe, strengthens your character rather
than detracts from it. Even if you are an American and have no
intention of claiming your British citizenship by ancestry, can you
not see the benefit? Do you know that your actions can affect
your children and grandchildren? Your British citizenship gives
you, and your decendants rights in all of Europe.
If either of your parents was born in a different country than
your birth country, you should consider the following:
- the USA, Canada and Britain grant citizenship by ancestry
- Britain grants other statuses by ancestry
- British immigration status extends to Europe Community countries

I am interested in your thoughts. Do you think that additional
citizenship adds or detracts from your identity?
PS: The USA, Canada and Britain all recognize the concept of
multiple citizenship.

84300DT · #2 11-09-2002, 06:41 AM

Vaughn,
I agree with your thoughts. in fact i have also been looking into the very same thing as a Canadian born in Canada to British parents.

I am not so sure that you cannot claim British citizenship - it is very complicated though.

this page may help (or confuse you even more...!)

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/default.asp?PageId=145

Bob

#3 11-09-2002, 08:28 AM

I was born in britain during the 70s so I'm a british and nigerian citizen, I plan to get my kids british and nigerian citizenships also, they hold american citizenships now. I'm not sure if it's possible to hold all three but I plan to find out.

4NDELIT · #4 11-09-2002, 11:24 AM

that's interesting, because I am an american-canadian citizen. I was born in santa clara, california, and both my parents are canadien citizens. I always considered my canadian citizenship a "fallback" in case of war or some other resentment against the states (in the horrible case of a hostage situation I can say "hey, I'm canadian, eh. I drink maple syrup and play hockey, I never hurt anyone!") I did not know that I can't go to the canadian embassy to get outta here just in case.

4NDELIT · #5 11-09-2002, 01:28 PM

I didn't know that about the draft... I guess all I can do is stay in school and hope they don't call on me [if the iraq situation worsens]. Thanks for all the info.

420SEL · #6 11-09-2002, 02:33 PM

To follow up on tkamiya's supposition that if you also had Canadian citizenship you could receive protection from a Canadian Embassy, that is wishful thinking at best. Even if you are only a Canadian citizen, the embassy will do nothing for you except replace you passport if lost (at your cost) let someone in Canada know you have been caught or killed, and generally make you wonder why your tax dollars pay for foreign embassys that only serve the retired politicians assigned as Ambassadors. I lived in South Korea for 3 years and when I first arrived there I thought I should check in the Embassy. They wouldn't even let me in, and I was given a booklet which basically told me everything they would not do for me if I was in any trouble - it made it seem like they would actaully cause trouble for me if I needed any help. I eventually made friends with a few marines stationed there and they gave me all the help I needed whenever I needed. God bless the US Marines!

84300DT · #7 11-09-2002, 04:32 PM

4ndelit

if you have a Canadian passport and you want/need to go to Canada.. just go man

the USA is one of the easiest countries in the world to leave.. it's just getting back in thats tricky!

tkamiya your interpretation of US law is correct imo. back in the 70s and vietnam was still going on if you lived in the US and went to Canada to avoid the draft it was against the law, even if you were a Canadian citizen with a US green card.

the fortunate thing now is that there is no draft in the US.

vrsmith · #8 11-09-2002, 06:00 PM

Refer to the site:
http://www.britainincanada.org/Passport/eligible.htm

It mentions citizenship if your father was British and
"right of abode" if your mother was British.

A good site for US-Canadian dual citizenship is:
http://www.richw.org/dualcit

Everyone's points on dual citizenship are good to keep in
mind. Essentially, when you are a citizen of any country,
they have the right to consider you one of theirs and you
are subject to whatever controls or laws that are in place.
The fact that another country considers you a citizen has
no bearing on the USA, for example. Nor should it. It is
only to your benefit to exert your rights as a citizen as you
see fit and only you can suffer consequences.
While we are all, (hopefully), friendly, there may be little
serious concern, but there are interesting situations. When
my mother visited Bermuda, (I believe), they would not
stamp her Canadian passport as they considered her
British. They stamped her husband's passport.

G-Benz · #9 11-11-2002, 11:18 AM

I was born in Italy when my Dad was stationed there. I too, have dual citizenship. I wonder if many others from a military family that was raised abroad fall under this category.

But other than my age being a factor, I never really worried too much about having to serve in the Italian Army...

#10 11-12-2002, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by G-Benz
I was born in Italy when my Dad was stationed there. I too, have dual citizenship. I wonder if many others from a military family that was raised abroad fall under this category.

But other than my age being a factor, I never really worried too much about having to serve in the Italian Army...

What do you know-- another dual US/Italian guy like me!!
My father was an Italian citizen who worked for the Italian Embassy in Washington, DC for over thirty years. By virtue of his citizenship, I too am a dual citizen.

Many moons ago the Italian Embassy called me in to sign some papers. Basically, I had to agree to only visit Italy as a tourist from then on. If I ever wanted to acutally live there, I had to do my two years in the Italian Army!! (I signed.) They also told me to wait at least a few months before going over there (to give time for the paperwork to go through), as all the airports had been given info about me and would arrest me on sight.

The reason: I haden't shown up for the draft!!

PS Hey, do we get out of US taxes??

I remember my mom taking out the "tax expemt" card for years when purchasing clothes and other items at stores when I was young. That policy has sadly gone away.

vrsmith · #11 11-28-2002, 12:14 PM

I have just received my British "Right of Abode". This was added
to my passport. I was eligible due to my mother having been
born in England. With this, I am now able to enter Britain and
I am not subject to any immigration control or restrictions. It is
almost as though I am dual Canadian-British but I cannot vote
or serve on a jury there. I can work and live there if I want to
and my status is valid in Europe. This is the same status that
was denied to the Hong Kong British subjects back in 1997.

84300DT · #12 11-28-2002, 12:23 PM

vaugn,
when you say it was 'added to your passport' do you mean something was put into your canadian passport? or do you get a british passport?
bob

vrsmith · #13 11-28-2002, 01:32 PM

They glued a paper certificate of entitlement of right of abode to
my passport. It was then signed, dated and stamped by the
British High Commission in Ottawa. I believe that it is only
available to citizens of British Commonwealth countries like
Canada. Another case where the gender of parents affects the
rights of children.

84300DT · #14 11-28-2002, 01:39 PM

i guess my goal is to be able to go into the 'british nationals and eec citizens' line when i visit the uk, instead of the 'other' line.
it's just that being canadian i feel it is wrong to have to go through the 'other' line.

i'm thinking you have to have a british passport to do that? or would the 'right of abode' paper in a canadian passport entitle you to that.
bob

vrsmith · #15 12-20-2002, 02:32 PM

I would imagine that "Right of Abode" lets me into the EC
line just like a British citizen. I am "entirely free from
immigration controls" in England. It would be interesting
to push it.