Nyasaland (now Malawi)

Nyasaland (now Malawi)

Listen to our BRITISH NATIONALITY WEBINAR on Malawi where our two British nationality experts - Philip Gamble and Mishal Patel - discuss a family birth in Nyasaland and its implications for claims to British nationality in the modern day.

Nyasaland (the former name for Malawi) was a British Protectorate up to 05.07.1964. You could be eligible for British citizenship if you were:

• Born between 01.01.1949 and 31.12.1982, a parent was born in Nyasaland before 05.07.1964 and that parent had a parent born in the UK;
• Born between 01.01.1949 and 11.12.1963 in Nyasaland before 05.07.1964, and you have a UK-born grandparent; OR
• Born after 31.12.1982, a parent was born in Nyasaland before 1949 and that parent had a UK-born grandparent.

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.

How can I find out if I can claim British nationality?

We suggest following our 4 STEP PROCESS, designed to simplify the complex laws of British nationality and to avoid uneccessary and expensive application fees, to find your answer:

Step 1: Dertermine whether you have a Standard Route (birth in the UK before 1983, or a parent born in the UK before 1983)
Step 2: If not, complete our free Nationality Assessment
Step 3: Order a free Status Trace
Step 4: Conduct a Citizenship Report

Complete our nationality assessment

To find out whether you or your children might have a claim, take a couple of moments to complete our FREE online passport assessment.

The Independence Day arrangements on 06.07.1964 gave rise to many residents gaining one of the various forms of British Nationality. Those born in Nyasaland would have held British Protected Person (BPP) status. This status would have been lost if the new Malawian constitution granted nationality. If not, then BPP status would have been maintained and, in some cases, this can be upgraded to full British Nationality.

In some cases, where Malawian nationality was NOT granted (i.e. because of where your parents were born), then British Overseas Citizen (BOC) status would have been granted. To determine what form of British Nationality you might have, an analysis of your family's history must be done, and then applying it to the Nationality laws of Malawi that were passed over the years.

STATUS OF MALAWI (formerly Nyasaland)

From 21.09.1889 until 28.02.1958, Nyasaland was a British Protectorate.

Between 01.03.1958 until 31.12.1963, it was part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, an independent Commonwealth country but still treated as a Protectorate.

From 01.01.1964 until 05.07.1964, it was a British Protectorate.

From 06.07.1964 until the present day, it was an independent Commonwealth country.

Click here for more information on the status of a British Protected Person (based on birth in a British Protectorate).