Guidance

British citizenship: caseworker guidance

Tells HM Passport Office staff how to deal with passport applications for customers that hold British citizenship.

• From: HM Passport Office
• Published: 20 March 2023
• Last updated: 9 October 2024 — See all updates

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British citizenship (accessible)

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British citizenship

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Details

This guidance tells HM Passport Office staff:

• how a customer can have a claim to British citizenship

• how to check if a customer holds British citizenship

• what documents a customer needs to send to support their passport application

Published 20 March 2023
Last updated 9 October 2024 + show all updates

1. 9 October 2024

   This guidance has been updated throughout to explain: more about British nationality status; references to 'foreign diplomat' include a person with diplomatic privileges; how to check immigration reference numbers (unique application numbers (UAN) and global web form (GWF) numbers) on ATLAS to prove settlement claims; all decisions about establishing right of abode can be made within HM Passport Office.

2. 30 June 2023

   This guidance has been updated to remove references to applications being on hold for customers born to EEA parents between 1 January 1983 and 1 October 2000.

3. 17 April 2023

   The guidance has been updated to make it clear examiners can use the parents’ passport history on Main Index to confirm they were British citizens before their child’s birth if the child was born in the UK.

4. 20 March 2023

   First published.