British born and raised. But can't get a passport

I was born in London in 1987.
I have a British birth certificate.
English is my only language.
I have only ever lived in England.
I have grown up, gone to school, university and worked here and paid my taxes.
My father is British, my great grandfather died in WWII and I can trace my family tree in England to the 1500's.

I cannot get a British passport....

The problem?

My mother is Danish and moved here when she was sixteen. She did not marry my dad, if she had there would be no problem.

I'm stateless.

The passport office even got my mother to show all her tax earnings before I was born (26 years ago) but because she didn't work when she was pregnant and after they want my mum to prove how she lived. It's simple my dad worked and paid the bills but they won't take him into account because they weren't married even though he is on my birth certificate. They even asked for bank details but who can find that kind of information from 26 years ago?

I feel so insulted and the whole process has had nothing to do with who I am.

I have the option of trying to get a Danish passport but it will take up to 18 months to process and the forms are in Danish....I don't speak/read Danish.

I don't know what to do. All this because my parents didn't get married.

reply to post by LadyTrick


That is really ridiculous.

The U.K. has some ridiculous laws.

Have you considered maybe trying to get Danish citizenship?

en.wikipedia.org...

Also this is what the U.K. site says in regard to natural born citizens of the U.K.

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk...

Based on that because one parents was citizen you should qualify. Maybe you could try applying at a different office?

reply to post by LadyTrick


That is ridiculous!

Have you contacted your MP about this issue? I would recommend it. There may be something they can think of to do about this, that is not known to those you have already contacted on this matter. This needless box ticking excersize should not get between you and your entitlement to freedom to move across the borders of this fair isle, to lands abroad.

I am very sorry to hear you are having this level of difficulty.

ETA:

You are not stateless. Your paperwork is not who you are, its who the government think you are.

Have you tried registering to be a British citizen BEFORE applying for a passport. Your Mum should have married your Dad. I was born in Malaya, but I am not entitled to a Malaysian passport.

Regards

reply to post by paraphi


To be fair, one should not marry someone just so that paperwork can be made easier. Its a contract under the gaze of God, (for those who believe such things) and under law, and not to be taken lightly.

My parents were married for years, and the best day of the marriage was the end of it, not just from the perspective of the child I was when they divorced, but in the hindsight assisted veiw of my mother as well.

Seems very crappy and bureaucratic.
Just like everything else that makes my head spin about how out of balance things are in govt. right now.
Same old story ,you go about doing things by the book and get cheated , while others do things unethically and slide righr into the system.
Im sorry you have to deal with this BBBBB.SSSSS.

reply to post by OrphanApology


the site quotes this on the side " For children born before 1 July 2006 citizenship could not be passed on from a father if he was not married to the child’s mother. "


when I was 20 I had to travel from where I lived in cornwall to Plymouth to meet with a man from the Danish Embassey who helped me get a Danish Passport. It cost me £90 and when it arrived it expired on my 21st birthday....one year later.
I got told then that I couldn't be danish after 21 because I have no ties to denmark. I've since found out that I should of contested this. But I didn't know any better.

bureaucracy working against you, the laws are there for a reason but can never be perfect.

reply to post by overanocean


Sorry noticed it was the U.K. giving you the trouble , I misinterpreted it was the U.S. , didnt read post good enough.
Dont mind me Im pissed off about everything right now,Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

It gets even funnier because I have an older half brother,6 years older than me, now his dad married my mum. (obviously they got divorced before getting with my dad)

so he is half danish, half Sri lanken....and he has a British passport.

reply to post by overanocean


I dont know that any but the most attentive reader would have realised your error! Just remember, comments about the uselessness of government are universally applicable!

reply to post by TrueBrit


I think contacting my MP is probably the best hope I have

reply to post by TrueBrit


Thanks for understanding , didnt know what sort of reply I get on that one , good people on this site.

reply to post by LadyTrick


That seems pretty ridicules.
Best of luck, I'm sure somehow it will workout.

Hey maybe you can be TAX exempt?


I'm just trying to find some kind of angle you could exploit because of this

reply to post by LadyTrick


Well I tell you what, I wish you the very best of luck.

Nothing makes me as angry at this country, as when its government makes life impossible for its residents.

reply to post by LadyTrick


Here is a group that represents people who are stateless for various reasons.

ispo.bravesites.com...

You might see if they have any advice to offer you based on your situation.

reply to post by OrphanApology


thankyou so much! I will look into this, this could really help or point me in the right direction.

reply to post by LadyTrick


Can you not just apply for naturalisation?

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk...

There are seven requirements you need to meet before you apply:

-You must be aged 18 or over.
-You must be of sound mind.
-You must intend to continue living in the UK, or to continue in Crown service, the service of an international organisation of which the UK is a member, or the service of a company or association established in the UK.
-You must be able to communicate in English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic to an acceptable degree.
-You must have sufficient knowledge of life in the UK.
-You must be of good character.
-You must meet the residential requirements (see below).

Residential requirements
To demonstrate the residential requirements for naturalisation, you must have:

-been resident in the UK for at least five years (this is known as the residential qualifying period); and
-been present in the UK five years before the date of your application; and
-not spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the five-year period; and
-not spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months of the five-year period; and
-not been in breach of the Immigration Rules at any stage during the five-year period

reply to post by teapot


I think you have to be an immigrant to be naturalized. And it would be extremely annoying if I had to go through tests to prove I have knowledge of the UK when I have never lived anywhere else.

I wouldn't even be able to provide the documents needed to do this process,

Evidence of your identity

You should provide:

your passport; or
your nationality identity card; or
your Home Office travel document; or
your Home Office entitlement card; or
your Home Office application registration card; or
your immigration status document; or
your residence permit.

really it looks like it would be easier to get a British passport if I had been born abroad.


and I'm definatly not of sound mind lol