AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
A child born in the UK is British automatically only if a parent was British or settled (for example with indefinite leave to remain) when the child was born. If a parent becomes settled or British later, the child can usually be registered on form MN1, which Citizens Advice says costs over £1,000 without a fee waiver. A child who lives in the UK from birth to age 10 can usually register on form T.
Many Nigerian families in the UK have children while on a Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, student or dependant visa. The UK birth certificate looks the same as any other, but it does not settle the child's nationality. Whether the child is British depends on the parents' status on the day of the birth. This guide sets out the rules as summarised by Citizens Advice and GOV.UK in October 2026.
When a UK-born child is automatically British
Citizens Advice says a child born in the UK may be British automatically if a parent had permission to live in the UK permanently when the child was born. It lists these statuses:
- British or Irish citizenship.
- Settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
- Indefinite leave to remain (ILR).
- Right of abode.
- Permanent residence, but only for a child born before 1 July 2021.
A parent on a time-limited visa, such as a Skilled Worker or student visa, does not count, so a child born then is not automatically British. GOV.UK's citizenship checker sorts the rules by the child's date of birth (1 January 1983 to 1 October 2000, 2 October 2000 to 29 April 2006, 30 April 2006 to 30 June 2021, and 1 July 2021 onwards), so check the band that applies.
If you get ILR or citizenship after the birth
This is the common case for Nigerian families: the child is born while the parents are on work visas, and the parents get ILR some years later. Citizens Advice says you can then register the child as British on form MN1 if you or the other parent became settled after the birth. Points to know:
- Form
- MN1 (registration of a child under 18).
- Fee
- Citizens Advice says over £1,000 without a fee waiver; check the exact current fee on GOV.UK before applying.
- Refunds
- The fee is non-refundable if the application is refused or the child turns out to be British already.
- Fee waiver
- Possible if you cannot afford it; you need about 6 months of payslips, bank statements, tenancy and bills. Families receiving social services support for the child qualify automatically with proof.
Citizens Advice also notes a narrower rule: a child born after 30 June 2021 becomes British automatically if the parent later gets settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, provided the parent was eligible on 30 June 2021. This rarely applies to Nigerian nationals unless a parent is an EU citizen's family member.
The ten-year route
If the child lived in the UK from birth until age 10 and is not already British, Citizens Advice says they are usually eligible to register even if neither parent has permission to stay permanently. The form is form T. The Citizens Advice page we read does not set out a limit on absences, so check GOV.UK's guidance before you apply if the child has spent long periods in Nigeria.
Worked example
Example only: Ada and Tunde arrive in 2020 on Health and Care Worker visas. Their daughter is born in Birmingham in 2022, when neither is settled, so she is not automatically British. Both get ILR in 2025. From then the family can register her on MN1, paying the current fee or asking for a waiver. If they wait, she would become eligible on form T at age 10 in 2032, provided she has lived in the UK since birth. Their son, born in 2026 after they got ILR, is British automatically.
What it means for Nigerian citizenship
British registration does not affect the child's Nigerian citizenship. A child of a Nigerian parent is Nigerian by birth under section 25(1)(c) of the Constitution, and the forfeiture rule for dual nationals does not apply to citizens by birth. See is a UK-born child Nigerian? For travel on two passports see which passport to use, and for a child entering Nigeria on a British passport, visa rules for a British child of Nigerians.
What to check first
- What was each parent's UK status on the child's date of birth?
- Has either parent since got ILR, EUSS settled status or British citizenship?
- Has the child lived in the UK continuously since birth?
- Can you afford the fee now, or should you apply for a waiver?
This page is general information, not immigration advice. For a complex history, speak to a regulated immigration adviser.
Questions people ask
Is a baby born in the UK automatically British?
Only if a parent was British or settled, such as with ILR, at the time of birth.
My child was born before I got ILR. What now?
You can usually register the child on form MN1 once you or the other parent is settled.
How much does it cost to register a child as British?
Citizens Advice says an MN1 application costs over £1,000 without a fee waiver. Check GOV.UK for the current figure.
Can my child register after living in the UK for 10 years?
Yes, usually, on form T, if they have lived in the UK from birth until age 10 and are not already British.
Sources
- Getting British citizenship for children, Citizens Advice · accessed Oct 2026
- Check if you're a British citizen, GOV.UK · accessed Oct 2026
- Constitution of Nigeria 1999, section 25: citizenship by birth · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.