Category: statutory interpretation

‘The Court of Appeal has held that a child born to a French national mother who was ordinarily resident in the UK while she was exercising her right of free movement as a worker had not automatically acquired British citizenship at birth under section 1(1)(b) of the British Nationality Act 1981 as the child of someone “settled” in the UK. In so concluding, the Court of Appeal held that the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2000 were “immigration laws” which subjected the mother to a restriction on her entitlement to remain in the UK and meant that she had not been “settled” for the purposes of section 1(1)(b) at the time of the child’s birth. At first instance Eyre J had dismissed Mr Roehrig’s claim for judicial review of the decision made by the SSHD refusing his application for a British passport. The issue in this appeal, as it was before the single judge, was whether Mr Roehrig automatically acquired British citizenship at birth under section 1(1)(b) of the British Nationality Act 1981. Notably, section 1(1)(b) of the 1981 Act provides that “A person born in the United Kingdom after commencement shall be a British citizen if at the time of the birth his father or mother is …(b) settled in the United Kingdom.” The SSHD refused the application stating: “As you were not able to provide documentary evidence to show your Mother was free from immigration time restrictions at the time of your birth, we are not able to issue a passport to you at this time…”.’

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EIN Blog, 10th April 2024

Source: www.ein.org.uk