Foreign Countries with ETJ
Can you claim British Nationality?
Getting a British passport might be easier than you think. Thanks to the UK's historical laws and agreements with former territories, you may qualify for British nationality depending on where you, your parents and grandparents were born.
Foreign Countries with Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ)
You could qualify for a British Passport if:
- you were born between 01.01.1949 and 31.12.1982 in a Foreign country with ETJ, if you had a UK-born grandparent; OR
- you were born between 01.01.1949 and 31.12.1982, a parent was born in a Foreign country with ETJ, and that parent had a parent born in the UK.
Fast facts
You could be eligible for British citizenship if you were:
- Born to a parent (a father or mother) who was born in the UK before 1983.
- Born before 1983 to a parent who was born after 1949 – as long as that parent a) was a British Citizen, or b) had a parent born in the UK.
- Born after 1948, and your parents were married before 1949 and your paternal grandfather (your dad’s dad) was born in the UK.
There are hundreds of other ways to qualify. As a general rule, if you were born in a country that is different to either parent or any of your grandparents, or you have a connection back to the UK, Ireland or a former British Territory, then you might have a claim.
Expert UK immigration and nationality advice
We are the world’s leading experts in UK immigration and nationality. For over 22 years, we have been helping thousands of people navigate the complex path to British citizenship.
Some claims to British nationality are relatively straightforward and can be completed quickly if you meet the above requirements. Other claims can be extremely complex and can only be determined by researching old nationality laws.
Our expertise in British nationality and immigration law means that when we submit an application on your behalf, you can be sure it will be successful.
Making a successful nationality application
To find out whether you or your children might have a claim, take a couple of moments to complete our FREE online passport assessment.
Tell me if I qualify for a British passport
As part of the extent of the control over its Empire, the British Crown exercised Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) over several territories.
Click here for more information on how British Nationality could be gained.
At various times, the United Kingdom had the treaty rights that affected nationality with the following countries:
- Albania
- Algeria
- Bougainville (part of Papua New Guinea)
- Buka (part of Papua New Guinea)
- Bulgaria
- China
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Aegean Islands, Crete, Dodecanese Islands, Epirus, Macedonia, Thessaly and Western Thrace (all now part of Greece)
- Iran
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kamaran (now part of Yemen)
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Morocco French Zone, Morocco Spanish Zone, Morocco Tangier Zone (now all part of Morocco)
- Muscat and Oman (now Oman)
- Nauru
- New Guinea (now part of Papua New Guinea)
- North Korea
- Palestine
- Qatar
- Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)
- Romania
- Samoa
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
- South West Africa (now Namibia)
- Syria
- Thailand
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkey