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The British Nationality Act 1981 is the principal UK citizenship law, which created the current categories of British nationality and governs citizenship by descent.
In depth
The British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA 1981) is the principal UK citizenship law, which came into force on January 1, 1983. It created the current categories of British nationality: British citizen, British Overseas Territories citizen, British Overseas citizen, British subject, British protected person, and British National (Overseas).
Under the BNA 1981, British citizenship by descent is acquired by children born abroad to a British citizen parent who is 'British otherwise than by descent' (i.e., the parent was born in the UK or naturalized). This creates a one-generation limit on descent citizenship.
However, the BNA 1981 includes several exceptions and complex provisions: Crown service, consular registration, double descent (grandparent), and registration of minors. Each opens under different sections of the Act.
Related terms
Double descent is the UK citizenship path for grandchildren of British citizens, available under certain sections of the British Nationality Act 1981.
Crown service is UK government service (military, diplomatic, colonial) that can confer British citizenship by descent on children born abroad to Crown servants.
British subject is a historic UK nationality status that predates the 1948 and 1981 British Nationality Acts, still held by a small number of people.
British Overseas citizen (BOC) is a UK nationality category for people who were citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC) but did not acquire British citizen or other citizenship in 1983.
The right of abode is the right to live and work in the UK without immigration restrictions, held by British citizens and certain Commonwealth citizens.
Consular registration is the process by which a British citizen born abroad is registered at a UK consulate, which can affect citizenship transmission to the next generation.