Child Citizenship Guidance Clarifies When Registered Children Become British
09 Jul 2026
If you are registering your child as a British citizen after your family reaches Indefinite Leave to Remain, updated guidance clarifies exactly when your child's citizenship takes effect.
Form MN1 guidance, updated on 7 July 2026, draws a clear line based on the child's age when the application is decided. If the child is under 18 when the application is approved, they become a British citizen on the date the application is approved. If they are 18 or over when it is approved, they must attend a citizenship ceremony first, where they swear or affirm an oath of allegiance and pledge loyalty to the UK, and only become a citizen after that ceremony and receiving their registration certificate.
The guidance also gives clear instructions on what to do with any Home Office issued immigration document you still hold, such as a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or Biometric Residence Card (BRC). It says you "must destroy it after you have attended your citizenship ceremony," by cutting it into pieces so the cuts go through the personal details, the royal coat of arms, and the gold biometric chip if there is one. The guidance does not mention returning the document to the Home Office, only destroying it yourself.
If your child is going through citizenship registration, check whether they will be under or over 18 when a decision is likely, since that determines whether a ceremony is needed, and hold onto any BRP until after that ceremony rather than destroying it early.
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