Illegitimacy tax': new UK border rules for dual nationals throwing lives into chaos

"Simon Cox, immigration barrister at Doughty Chambers, said parliament abolished other kinds of discrimination against the children of unmarried parents in 1987, but didn't change the law for British citizenship until 2005. Since then, children of unmarried parents have been able to rely on their father's British citizenship, but it wasn't until 2022 that parliament created a remedy for children of unmarried British fathers born before 2005."

"Dawn was born to an unmarried British father and French mother in 1977 and had British passports until 2018, when her renewal application was turned down because she could not provide a French passport with her married name. France, like Greece, issues passports with birth names. The woman has lived in the UK since she was five, and worked at the Ministry of Defence."

"Both women have been forced to prove their right to British passports as a result of archaic laws, which did not accord automatic citizenship to the children of unmarried British fathers in dual national relationships until the law was changed in 2005. The women are among hundreds of people who have been hit by the new border rules for British dual nationals requiring a British passport or certificate of entitlement of abode costing £589."

Two women with British dual nationality have experienced significant disruption due to new border control rules requiring British passports or certificates of entitlement costing £589. Both were born to unmarried British fathers and foreign mothers, making them subject to outdated citizenship laws. Until 2005, children of unmarried British fathers did not automatically receive British citizenship. Parliament created a remedy for those born before 2005 only in 2022. One woman, born in 1977, held British passports until 2018 when renewal was denied due to her French passport showing her married name rather than birth name. She has lived in the UK since age five and worked for the Ministry of Defence. The new border rules have forced her to prove her citizenship rights despite her long residency and previous passport status.

Read at www.theguardian.com