Checklist

Young people’s application’s will also need to include the following. To save time you can try to collect this before you meet with a lawyer, but if you are unsure of anything your lawyer can give you advice on how to collect these documents and what they need to include.

• child’s birth certificate (example of a birth certificate)
• letter from their doctor (and any previous doctors) saying how long the child has been registered with them
• letter from their school (and any previous schools) stating how long they have been in education
• proof of the parent/s citizenship (if possible)
• reference letters

You can find more information on these below.

Whether a child is born British or can make an application to become British will often depend on their parents’ citizenship and immigration status. You should try to collect documents that show both parents’ citizenship and immigration status – both when the child was born and now.

It is helpful for applicants to get letters from people who know them and can support their claim. The Home Office requires an applicant, “to be of good character a person should show respect for the rights and freedoms of the United Kingdom, observe its laws and fulfil their rights and duties as a resident of the United Kingdom”.

Reference letters need to be from an independent person (not a family member) and talk about the applicant’s character. References should be written by people who have professional or moral standing; religious leaders, teachers, lawyers, civil servants. If possible they should get two reference letters.

You can find more information about reference letters in this Home Office document.

If a young person has been involved with the police it’s important to be honest about it with their lawyer. The Home Office will check the official record and could use it to decline their claim. They might say that they are not ‘of good character’. Here are guidelines on “good character” provided by the HomeOffice.