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Am I a Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies? Do I Have The Right of Abode?

• I was born in 1974 when Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a colony/associated state, before it became independent on 27th October 1979. today Saint Vincent is one of 16 countries that holds Queen Elizabeth II as Monarch and Head of State, and also recognizes Dual Nationality. my mother and father was born in 1948, one year before the British Nationality Act of 1948 came into effect on 1 January 1949. My maternal grandmother was born in 1929(her father and grandfather were from Scotland). my paternal grandmother was born in 1921 According to Chapter VII of my constitution; it seems that anyone born before the commencement(including both my parents, grandparents etc.) kept their status as a citizen of United Kingdom and Colonies while becoming a citizen of St. Vincent, but I am not to sure. according to Guide RS1, If you registered as a citizen of the United Kingdom and colonies in a country before the day of independence you will not have a qualifying connection. I've read the British Nationality Acts of 1948 and 1981, as well as my Constitution of Saint Vincent 1979. here's Chapter VII Section 90. (1) of my constitution below, dealing with people who become citizens on 27/10/1979. can someone give me their interpretation as to what it really says? CONSTITUTION OF SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES 1979 CHAPTER VII CITIZENSHIP Persons who become citizens on 27th October 1979. 90. (1) Every person who, having been born in Saint Vincent, is immediately before the commencement of this Constitution a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies shall become a citizen at such commencement. (2) Every person who, immediately before the commencement of this Constitution, is a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies- a. having become such a citizen under the British Nationality Act 1948 (a) by virtue of this having been naturalized in Saint Vincent as a British subject before that Act came into force; or b. having while resident in Saint Vincent become such a citizen by virtue of his having been naturalized or registered under that Act, shall become a citizen at such commencement. (3) Every person who, having been born outside Saint Vincent, is immediately before the commencement of this Constitution a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies shall, if his father or mother becomes, or would but for his death or the renunciation of his citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies have become,a citizen by virtue of subsection (1) or subsection (2) of this section, become a citizen at such commencement. (4) Every woman who, having been married to a person who becomes, or but for his death or the renunciation of his citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies would have become, a citizen by virtue of subsection (1), (2) or (3) of this section, is a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies immediately before the commencement of this Constitution shall become a citizen at such commencement.

• Answer:

  Very interesting. St. Vincent ceased to be a British colony on 27th October 1979, therefore you ceased to be a BSCUKC and became a St. Vincentian citizen automatically on 27 Oct 1979 unless you have specified ties with the UK. Dual nationality is accepted in St. Vincent. If you acquire another citizenship you do not lose your St. Vincentian citizenship. You can apply for a UK skilled migrant visa (subject to eligibility criteria) after 5 years of residence you can apply for naturalisation as a British citizen or 3 years if married to a British citizen and you are living in the UK Your PM at that time requested HM Queen Elizabeth II 'on behalf of the St. Vincentian people' to be an independent country, without a referendum. like most of former english-speaking Caribbean countries who are now independent because of the same practice. Now your current PM wants St. Vincent to become a republic, even though he lost in referendum. British nationality law can be really complex, due to Britain's imperial power in the 19th and 20th century, but here I've sorted out for you. Your maternal grandmother and your mother are eligible for British citizenship, However, you do not. You were born as a 'British subject: Citizen of the UK and Colonies', a citizenship created under the British Nationality Act 1948, you became automatically a St. Vincentian citizen on 27th October 1979 under the provision 90(1) of the St. Vincentian constitution. The only way you would have retained your BSCUKC status is by having a 'qualifying connection to the United Kingdom' such as parent, grandparent born or naturalised in the UK or in any British Overseas Territory. If you do, you became a British Citizen under the British Nationality Act 1981, or if you did not acquired St. Vincentian citizenship (which is highly unlikely) and do not have 'specified ties' with the UK you became a British Overseas Citizen on 1981 (a BOC is a British national without the right of abode in the UK) St. Vincent is a constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy, In St. Vincent, Queen Elizabeth II, is the Queen of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (not UK) she is represented by the Governor General Commonweath countries with the Queen as a Head of State are called 'Commonwealth Realms' such as Australia, New Zealand, Grenada, Barbados, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Fiji, Canada, Bahamas, St. Vincent and Grenadines and other more. British Overseas Territories also have the Queen as Head of State, such as Bermuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, St. Helena, Falkland Islands, Pitcairn Islands. Your mother and grandmother can apply for British citizenship at the British Honorary Consulate in St. Vincent Based on your mother she'll have to bring: * Original passport * Original Long-form birth certificate * Original marriage certificate * Mother's Original marriage certificate * Parents Marriage Certificate * Grandfather's UK birth certificate * Grandparents marriage certificate * Fee * Application form If her parents and/or grandparents were not married or your mother or grandmother were born out of wedlock they do not qualify for British citizenship If you still feel you've retained British citizenship, you can submit an application to the British Honorary Consul, and he'll send it to the Home Office London, the form is called confirmation of British nationality status, they will decide whether you qualify or not for British citizenship. confirmation cost 80 GBP and you must sent original documents to proof you believe you've retained your status. Important links http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/find-an-embassy/north-and-central-america/saint-vincent-grenadines (British Honorary Consulate) http://ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/nationality/ns (Confirmation of British nationality status)