This page provides details of how a stateless person can register as a British citizen, a British overseas territories citizen or a British overseas citizen.

You should read the information in this section before you make an application for registration. You will need to pay a fee when you make your application. If you make an application for registration and it is unsuccessful because you are not eligible, Home Office will not refund your full fee.

To be eligible to apply for British citizenship you must have been born before 1 January 1983. You should visit the section for stateless people born outside the United Kingdom after 1 January 1983 or the section for stateless people born in the United Kingdom after 1 January 1983 for details of the requirements you must to meet.

The requirements you need to meet

The requirements you must meet will depend on when and where you were born, your parents' nationality and where you currently live. The type of application you make and the citizenship you acquire will depend on your circumstances. For all applications, you must:

• be stateless; and
• have always been stateless; and
• have been born before 1 January 1983; and
• come within one of the sections A to O below.

Section A

To come within this section:

• you must have been born on or after 1 January 1949; and
• your mother must have been a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies at the time of your birth.

Section B

To come within this section, you must have been born:

• within the United Kingdom; or
• within a British overseas territory.

Section C

To come within this section:

• you must have been born on or after 5 October 1965; and
• your mother must have been a British subject by registration under section 1(1) of the British Nationality Act 1965 at the time of your birth; and
• you must have been resident in the United Kingdom or a British overseas territory for the three years immediately before your application.

Section D

To come within this section, your mother or father must:

• have become a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies under section 13(2) of the British Nationality Act 1948, or would have become such a citizen but for his/her death; or
• have become a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies under section 16(2) of the British Nationality Act 1948.

Section E

To come within this section:

• you must have been born before 1 January 1949; and
• your mother must have been a British subject at the time of your birth; and
• your mother must have become a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies on 1 January 1949.

Section F

To come within this section:

• you must have been born before 1 January 1949; and
• your mother must have been a British subject at the time of your birth; and
• your mother must have become a British subject without citizenship on 1 January 1949, or would have done so but for her death; and
• your mother has not since become a citizen of any other country; and
• you must have been resident in the United Kingdom or a British overseas territory for the three years immediately before your application.

Section G

To come within this section:

• you must have been born before 1 January 1949; and
• your mother must have been a British subject at the time of your birth; and
• your mother must have remained a British subject from 1 January 1949 under section 2 of the British Nationality Act 1948; and
• you must have been resident in the United Kingdom or a British overseas territory for the three years immediately before your application.

Section H

To come within this section:

• you must have been born before 1 January 1949; and
• your mother must have been regarded as a British subject on 31 December 1948 under section 14 of the British Nationality Act 1948; and
• your mother must have become a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies on 1 January 1949, or would have done so but for her death.

Section I

To come within this section:

• you must have been born before 1 January 1949; and
• your mother must have been regarded as a British subject under section 14 of the British Nationality Act 1948; and
• your mother must have become a British subject without citizenship on 1 January 1949; and
• your mother has not since become a citizen of a Commonwealth country; and
• you must have been resident in the United Kingdom or a British overseas territory for the three years immediately before your application.

Section J

To come within this section:

• you must have been born before 1 January 1949; and
• under section 15 of the British Nationality Act 1948; or
• under section 17 of the British Nationality Act 1948; and
• that parent must have become a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies on 1 January 1949, or would have become such a citizen but for his/her death.

Section K

To come within this section:

• you must have been born before 1 January 1949; and
• your mother or father must have been regarded as a British subject under section 15 or section 17 of the British Nationality Act 1948; and
• that parent must have become a British subject without citizenship on 1 January 1949, or would have become so but for his/her death; and
• that parent has not since become a citizen of any other Commonwealth country; and
• you must have been resident in the United Kingdom or a British overseas territory for the three years immediately before your application.

Section L

To come within this section:

• you must have been born before 1 January 1949; and
• your mother or father must have become a British subject without citizenship under section 16(2) of the British Nationality Act 1948; and
• that parent has not since become a citizen of any other Commonwealth country; and
• you must have been resident in the United Kingdom or a British overseas territory for the three years immediately before your application.

Section M

To come within this section:

• you must have been born between 1 January 1949 and 31 December 1982; and
• your mother or father must have been a British subject without citizenship at the time of your birth; and
• you must have been resident in the United Kingdom or a British overseas territory for the three years immediately before your application.

Section N

To come within this section:

• you must have been born between 1 January 1949 and 31 December 1982; and
• your mother or father must have become a British subject without citizenship under section 16(2) of the British Nationality Act 1948 after your birth; and
• you must have been resident in the United Kingdom or a British overseas territory for the three years immediately before your application.

Section O

To come within this section:

• you must have been born between 1 January 1949 and 31 December 1982; and
• your mother or father must have been a British subject under section 2 of the British Nationality Act 1948 at the time of your birth; and
• you must have been resident in the United Kingdom or a British overseas territory for the three years immediately before your application.