No Uk passport but I’ve lived here my whole life

I’ve completed my GCSE’s here and i’ve lived in London practically my whole life I just wasn’t born here. I’m currently doing my A-levels but something my teacher said about not having a UK passport is worrying me. He said it might be difficult for employers to accept me without it so he recommended I should get it before I turn 18, but i can’t right now or for a few more years so should I actually be worried about employment or getting into uni???

Reply 1

rwnsl

12

are you a uk citizen? if so, that’d be the easiest way to show right to work. if not, you have other ways to do so! for example, your birth certificate (i’m conscious you said you weren’t born in london, but im not sure if you mean the uk as a whole).

employers need to see your right to work, but that doesn’t necessarily need to be a UK passport. i believe you can show your immigration documents if you aren’t a citizen, and possibly some other documents (i am a uk citizen personally, i’m just going off of a friend’s experience, so definitely double check!)

Reply 2

londonmyst

19

What national citizenships do your parents and grandparents have?
Do you have a national insurance number?

Reply 3

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by Anonymous

I’ve completed my GCSE’s here and i’ve lived in London practically my whole life I just wasn’t born here. I’m currently doing my A-levels but something my teacher said about not having a UK passport is worrying me. He said it might be difficult for employers to accept me without it so he recommended I should get it before I turn 18, but i can’t right now or for a few more years so should I actually be worried about employment or getting into uni???

You don't need a UK passport to work, but you will need proof of right to work - usually this will be your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).

If you don't have a BRP yet you should probably look at starting the process to get one. It's slow and expensive so better planned ahead...although equally getting a UK passport is also slow and expensive (more expensive even!).

source: I have lived in the UK most of my life, don't have a UK passport, and when they changed the rules around right to work documents had to go and get a BRP on short notice to start a new job :colonhash:

(edited 4 months ago)

Reply 4

Scotland Yard

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

20

Original post by Anonymous

I’ve completed my GCSE’s here and i’ve lived in London practically my whole life I just wasn’t born here. I’m currently doing my A-levels but something my teacher said about not having a UK passport is worrying me. He said it might be difficult for employers to accept me without it so he recommended I should get it before I turn 18, but i can’t right now or for a few more years so should I actually be worried about employment or getting into uni???

If you're eligible for British nationality (and therefore, the passport) right now... then get it (you can apply for a fee waiver for the citizenship application for being under 18 too so it makes it cheaper). Not having British nationality isn't the end of the world but it makes life a lot easier. If you're not eligible for it... then don't worry about it just yet. But do get it when you can. Being an immigrant myself, I don't see why you wouldn't get the nationality as soon as you can.

Reply 5

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by Scotland Yard

Being an immigrant myself, I don't see why you wouldn't get the nationality as soon as you can.

Honestly, it's very expensive and involves a lot of extra life admin if you're working full time or similar. Plus post-Brexit it really doesn't have nearly as many benefits as before - you still have your residence and right to work without it, you still get NI (and make NI contributions) without it, the major different as far as I can tell is around voting, access to certain services like changing name via deed poll, and having to do jury duty. The value of UK citizenship has diminished considerably, honestly.

(Technically I think you can have to do jury duty and voting rights to some extent without it if you can get on the electoral roll but it depends which country you come from...).

(edited 4 months ago)

Reply 6

Scotland Yard

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

20

Original post by artful_lounger

Honestly, it's very expensive and involves a lot of extra life admin if you're working full time or similar. Plus post-Brexit it really doesn't have nearly as many benefits as before - you still have your residence and right to work without it, you still get NI (and make NI contributions) without it, the major different as far as I can tell is around voting, access to certain services like changing name via deed poll, and having to do jury duty. The value of UK citizenship has diminished considerably, honestly.

(Technically I think you can have to do jury duty and voting rights to some extent without it if you can get on the electoral roll but it depends which country you come from...).

Once you're a British citizen you can't be forced to leave by any change of rules regarding immigrants. Or should you leave for two years, you have the option to return, easily, rather than start from scratch or not being able to at all. These scenarios, they're unlikely, yes, but impossible? No. Just on this alone I'd say that getting the nationality of the country you're living in and are planning on staying is worth it.

No Uk passport but I’ve lived here my whole life

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