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Is being born in the UK (to two foreign parents) enoguh to say your British?

Why wouldn't it be? If the person then lives in Britain then they probably would consider themselves at least partly British but everyone is different.

My cousin was born in Germany to an English mum and Scottish dad and has lived in scotland most of his life so I don't think he considers himself very German.

Reply 21

xena101

As a politics student, i was taught that if you are born in the UK you automatically are a British citizen because you were born in this country, thats not to so say you cant apply for citizenship in different countries, they would have different rules e.g. you can gain citizenship if you have been living in this country for more 3 years or more

This i belive is correct but may be mistaken :smile:

Reply 22

Simpsonsmania

OP

1

xena101

As a politics student, i was taught that if you are born in the UK you automatically are a British citizen because you were born in this country, thats not to so say you cant apply for citizenship in different countries, they would have different rules e.g. you can gain citizenship if you have been living in this country for more 3 years or more

This i belive is correct but may be mistaken :smile:

I believe it's 5 years.

Reply 23

L i b

19

There are two elements to Britishness.

First, the political dimension. In this, it is a matter of law - are you a British national? The answer is either yes or no.

The more interesting part is the other type of Britishness, cultural identity. This is where Britishness becomes like Welshness, existing independently of a political structure. So far as I am concerned, someone is British in this context if he accepts a British identity and has some connection to Britain or British culture. No need for British-born parents or any of that crap.

For example, I am a Canadian citizen, but I don't feel myself to have a meaningful enough connection with Canada to call myself Canadian in anything other than a political way. As such, despite being a dual citizen, I only have one nationality and cultural identity: British.

Reply 24

rockrunride

19

You're whatever nationality you identify with, be that your parents, or where you live.

Personally, I wasn't born in London (born in Herts and moved to Norfolk aged ten) and I've only lived here two months. I just feel a special connection with it, though. I probably can't consider myself as a Londoner, but I'd like to, seeing as I know so much about it.
Having said that, my mum was born and brought up in Walthamstow.

Reply 25

Big Kabz

11

Zinedine Zidane's parents were Algerian and he was born and raised in Marseille. He considers himself French and I don't think there is anybody in the world that would say that Zidane isn't French because his parents were Algerian.

Reply 26

eulerwaswrong

13

id say you are british.

what does your passport say - that will be the "legal" answer

Reply 27

Dijobla

17

xena101

As a politics student, i was taught that if you are born in the UK you automatically are a British citizen because you were born in this country, thats not to so say you cant apply for citizenship in different countries, they would have different rules e.g. you can gain citizenship if you have been living in this country for more 3 years or more

This i belive is correct but may be mistaken :smile:

3 years if you are married to a british citizen otherwise it's 5 years. Bad politics teacher... Being born in the UK does not automatically make you a British citizen... like I said, I know from personal experience. Having a British birth certificate is not enough either. You are entitled to the citizenship, but you have to register... and if you leave it too long (like my cousin) you'll have to pay tidy sum.

BUT like l i b said, culturally, if you feel british, you are british. And that is that. I'm British.

Reply 28

aaloo

15

Dijobla

...failed to register my cousin as a British citizen when he was born and now, even though he is 17 and has been in this country his whole life, he is not a citizen and is not entitled to a passport.

But as far as the government is concerned,(regardless of mistake or ignorance), his parents had the opportunity to register him as a British citizen but didn't.

So, take my word for it, being born in the UK to foreign parents is enough but as his parents chose not to exercise their right to have him registered, he's not British.

I'm British, and I wasn't even born in this country. I was born in France, as was my father.

My mother was born in England though, but ethnically she's not English, she's the daughter of two Polish immigrants.

But my passport says I'm British, so I'm British. My mother's passport also says that she's British, so there we go, OP yes you're British.

(I'm actually French as well and could claim a French passport if I felt like it, but I can't be bothered)

Reply 30

username196545

19

Pinball_heart

I'm like you.
I think whatever your passport says you are, you are.My passport says I'm British.
My ID card says I'm Italian.
I call myself Italian-Filipino.

My passport says I'm Israeli, but I'd never call myself that...

Reply 31

The_Lonely_Goatherd

20

I'd say I'm British but not English :smile:

Reply 32

Sanyore

14

I'd say so. Although, all of the BNP would disagree. Despite having been here only 3 and a half years, I'd probably culturally identify myself as British (despite the lack of the passport) more than Indian or Arab.

Reply 33

icapturethecastle

16

based on my own experience, yes i think it is enough to say you're british... although not english

neither of my parents were born here, my mother was raised here from the age of 9, my father came here for medical treatment at the age of 16... neither have gone back to where they were born for more than anything but a holiday... and i was born and brought up here, so i find it easier to identify more with british culture and the country rather than where my parents were born

Reply 34

Alasdair

14

It is if you want it to be. If you self-identify as British, then there you go.

I, on the other hand, was born in Germany to two British parents, and also self-identify as British/Scottish.

Reply 35

xena101

Dijobla

3 years if you are married to a british citizen otherwise it's 5 years. Bad politics teacher... Being born in the UK does not automatically make you a British citizen... like I said, I know from personal experience. Having a British birth certificate is not enough either. You are entitled to the citizenship, but you have to register... and if you leave it too long (like my cousin) you'll have to pay tidy sum.

BUT like l i b said, culturally, if you feel british, you are british. And that is that. I'm British.

I wasnt talking about if you feel like a British citizen, your are entitled to British citizenship if you are born here! I dont know about cases when you dont register, they normally give you a time limit for registering the birth. and also i did say i may be mistaken as i wasnt too sure on on how many years so it was my fault not my teachers :smile:

Reply 36

SilkySmooth

The_Lonely_Goatherd

I'd say I'm British but not English :smile:

My parents were not born here but are UK citizens and have lived here for over 20 years, I was born here.

I thought this is pretty standard stuff. :s-smilie:

Reply 37

Riddy

It would allow you to say you are British legally yea but you wouldn't really be a true Englishman/Scotsman wherever you live.

Reply 38

olly_springs

9

To be British you have to be culturally British. Being here and saying you're allegiances are with your parent's country don't count.

I hope all other patriots will agree.

Reply 39

xena101

i agree with olly_springs :smile:

Is being born in the UK (to two foreign parents) enoguh to say your British?

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