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In depth
Consular registration is the process by which a British citizen born abroad is registered at a UK consulate within 12 months of birth. Under the British Nationality Act 1981, consular registration can affect whether the child is a British citizen 'otherwise than by descent' (and can transmit to the next generation) or 'by descent' (and cannot).
Consular registration is also relevant for historic CBD cases under the British Nationality Acts of 1914, 1948, and 1981. Each Act has different rules about how consular registration affects citizenship transmission.
For modern cases, a British citizen born abroad to a British citizen parent who is 'British otherwise than by descent' is automatically British by descent — no consular registration required. However, registration can be useful for documentary proof.
Related terms
The British Nationality Act 1981 is the principal UK citizenship law, which created the current categories of British nationality and governs citizenship by descent.
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.