A child born in the UK before either parent had indefinite leave to remain does not automatically become British when a parent later gets ILR. If the child is still under 18, however, they will usually have an entitlement to register as a British citizen under section 1(3) once one parent becomes settled or British. The practical job is to compare the child's birth date with the parent's settlement date, then apply on the child's correct route before the age limit.
The position is different if the parent was already British or settled when the child was born: the child may have been British from birth and may need a passport application rather than citizenship registration. This guide explains the common UK-born-child scenarios. ILR Calculator UK provides independent general information, not nationality advice or a decision on an individual child's status.
Start with the child's birth date and the parent's ILR date
The words “born in the UK” do not answer the citizenship question on their own. The parent's status on the date of birth usually decides whether citizenship was automatic or whether a later registration is needed.
| Situation | Likely route to check |
|---|---|
| At least one parent was British or settled when the child was born in the UK | The child may already be British automatically. Check the parent's status on the birth date before making a registration application. |
| Neither parent was British or settled at birth, but one parent later got ILR or became British while the child was under 18 | Check registration under section 1(3). The later parental status does not make the child British without the registration decision. |
| The child has already turned 18 before the application is received | The child registration route described here no longer fits. Adult citizenship routes need a separate assessment. |
| The child was born outside the UK | Section 1(3) is not the route. Different registration or immigration rules may apply. |
The GOV.UK page for children of people with ILR or settled status uses the same dividing line: a UK-born child born before the parent's ILR may be registered, while a child born in the UK after the parent received ILR may already be British. Keep the settlement grant and full birth certificate together so the two dates can be checked against one another.
Do not borrow the adult naturalisation timetable for this decision. A parent's own application may involve a 12-month wait after settlement, residence limits and other requirements explained in our British citizenship after ILR guide. A UK-born child's section 1(3) registration is a separate route and does not depend on the parent first completing adult naturalisation if the parent has already become settled.
Check every section 1(3) condition before paying
The current Home Office guidance on registration of children lists the section 1(3) requirements. For the route discussed here, the child must have been born in the UK and not have been British at birth because neither parent was British or settled then. While the child is a minor, one parent must later become British or settled in the UK. The child must be under 18 when the application is received.
Children aged 10 or over must also meet the good-character requirement. That does not mean a parent should decide privately that an incident is irrelevant. The application asks for relevant information, and the current MN1 guidance explains what must be disclosed. If there is a conviction, caution, immigration issue, deception concern or other conduct question, check the official guidance carefully before submitting.
Section 1(3) is described as an entitlement route when all its requirements are met. That distinction matters because it is different from a request for the Home Secretary to exercise discretion. It still requires an application, evidence and a decision; calling it an entitlement does not make approval automatic without those steps.
Does the child need their own ILR first?
For this specific route, the listed entitlement turns on UK birth, the child not being British at birth, and a parent's later British or settled status while the child remains under 18. It does not add a separate requirement that the UK-born child must first hold ILR. This point should not be transferred to a child born abroad or to another registration route, where different conditions may apply.
If the child's present immigration permission is close to expiring, do not assume a future citizenship decision solves the immediate position. The usual citizenship decision target can be several months, and individual cases can take longer. Check the child's current immigration position separately while the registration application is pending.
Build the evidence around the legal sequence
The evidence should show the same sequence as the route: UK birth, the identity and parent-child relationship, and the parent's qualifying status acquired after that birth. A large general family archive is less useful than a short, consistent bundle that proves those points.
The caseworker guidance lists a full UK birth certificate showing the child and parents. It also lists evidence that the relevant parent later became settled or British, such as a Home Office letter, an ILR endorsement or other official confirmation. For EU Settlement Scheme status, the guidance includes the unique application number confirming the grant. A marriage certificate or other relationship evidence may be relevant depending on the family history and the parent relied on.
Use this preparation order:
- Obtain the child's full UK birth certificate, not only a short certificate that omits parent details.
- Identify the exact date on which the relevant parent became settled or British, and keep the grant evidence that proves it.
- Check that names, dates of birth and parent details match across the child's certificate, passports and Home Office records. Explain and document any genuine name change.
- Gather the child's current and earlier passport or travel document where available, plus any application-specific evidence requested by the online service.
- Resolve the two referees before submission, including a suitable professional who has dealt with the child.
Do not replace missing proof with an estimate. If the ILR grant letter or old document is unavailable, use the parent's UKVI records and official correspondence to establish the grant details. Where parentage, a historic EEA status, adoption, surrogacy or a pre-2006 birth creates uncertainty, the general checklist may not resolve the applicable nationality rule.
Prepare the MN1 application, referees and biometrics
The current Form MN1 guidance is the working instruction for registering a child under 18. Read the live version before submitting because the publication has changed during 2026, including its processing and post-decision sections.
The application needs two referees. One referee must be a professional person; the other must hold a British citizen passport and be either a professional person or over 25. Each must meet the relationship and independence rules in the guidance. For a child, at least one referee should normally be someone who has dealt with the child professionally, such as a teacher, doctor, health visitor or social worker. Where that is genuinely unavailable, the guidance explains the evidence and alternative referee approach.
GOV.UK currently states that child registration costs £1,000 per child. A fee waiver may be available where the fee cannot be afforded. Check the amount again on the payment page on the day of submission because fees can change. A household considering a fee waiver should follow the official route rather than sending an incomplete application or assuming the fee will be refunded after a refusal.
Children must enrol biometrics when asked. A child under 5 provides a facial photograph but does not need to give fingerprints. A child under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at the biometric appointment. Follow the instructions issued after submission; failing to enrol when required can make an application invalid.
The guidance says citizenship applications are usually decided within six months, although some take longer. Record the submission date, biometric completion and any document request separately. The six-month statement is a service aim, not a guaranteed deadline and not a reason to leave an under-18 application until the last moment.
Know when citizenship starts and when to apply for a passport
If the child is under 18 when the application is approved, the MN1 guidance says they become British on the approval date and do not need a citizenship ceremony. If they turn 18 before the decision, a ceremony is required before they become British. This is another reason to submit with enough time to deal with evidence or identity questions.
Registration and a passport are separate steps. Keep the registration certificate safe and follow the official process to get a child's first British passport after citizenship has been established. Do not book travel on the assumption that an MN1 receipt or pending decision is a British travel document.
The current MN1 guidance also says there are no plans to provide a digital immigration-style record as proof of British citizenship. For travel, the child will need an appropriate British passport or certificate of entitlement to the right of abode. Check the child's existing passport and immigration evidence for any journey planned before the British document is available.
Which facts could change the route?
The simple section 1(3) pattern can change when the parent may already have been settled at birth, an EEA or Swiss status must be reconstructed under historic rules, the child was born outside the UK, or the child is approaching 18. The child's other nationality also matters because some countries restrict or remove nationality when another citizenship is acquired.
Write down the unresolved fact before choosing a form: the parent's exact status on the child's birth date, the date of the later grant, the child's birthplace, or the identity of the parent relied on. Those are questions a document can answer. If records conflict or the nationality consequence is unclear, use the current official guidance or regulated advice before paying. A clean date check is more useful than assuming every UK-born child follows the same path.
Frequently asked questions
Does my UK-born child become British automatically when I get ILR?
No. If the child was born before either parent was British or settled, a parent's later ILR does not itself make the child British. It can create an entitlement for a child under 18 to be registered under section 1(3). You still need to submit the correct application and receive approval. A child born in the UK after a parent already held ILR may instead have been British from birth.
Does a UK-born child need their own ILR before section 1(3) registration?
The section 1(3) conditions for this scenario focus on UK birth, the child not being British at birth, and one parent's later British or settled status while the child is under 18. They do not state that the child must first obtain ILR. Keep the child's current immigration position under review while the application is pending, and do not apply this answer to children born abroad or a different registration route.
Must the parent wait 12 months after ILR before registering the child?
The usual 12-month period after ILR belongs to many adult naturalisation applications. It is not listed as a waiting period for a UK-born child's section 1(3) entitlement after a parent becomes settled. The parent does not normally need to naturalise first. Confirm the ILR grant date, make sure the child is still under 18, and use the current child-registration guidance rather than the adult citizenship checklist.
What if the child was born after the parent received ILR?
A child born in the UK after at least one parent had already become settled may be British automatically from birth. Check the parent's exact status and effective date, the child's birth date and the full birth certificate before applying. If the automatic claim is established, the practical route is normally the child's first British passport rather than MN1 registration. Historic EEA status or unusual parentage facts may require closer checking.
What documents are usually needed for a UK-born child's registration?
Start with the child's full UK birth certificate showing the parents, the child's passport or travel document where available, and official evidence of the date the relevant parent became settled or British. Add relationship or name-change records where they are needed to connect those documents. The application also needs two qualifying referees, including a suitable professional who has dealt with the child. Follow any personalised document request from the online service.
How long does MN1 take, and will the child attend a ceremony?
The current MN1 guidance says citizenship applications are usually decided within six months, but some take longer. A child who is still under 18 when approved becomes British on the approval date and does not need a citizenship ceremony. If the applicant turns 18 before the decision, they must attend a ceremony before becoming British. Allow time for biometrics and evidence requests, especially when the eighteenth birthday is approaching.
