Can a british citizen who was born in Britain (aged 16) be forced to live in another country by their parents?

Question

I've got a friend that is really worried her parents will force her to live in Lebanon. She believes that if she went to Lebanon she couldn't come back to Britain. Both of her parents are from Lebanon but she was born in England which I think makes her 100% a British citizen? She has also lived her whole life in England.

So firstly could she be forced to leave the country against her will bearing in mind it's her parents taking her and she's 16.

And secondly if she did go to Lebanon would she be able to come back and just live in Britain without having to technically immigrate because she's a British citizen?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

See summary of British Citizenship law here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nat…


Being born in the UK (or most countries) does not make you a citizen of that country.
You get the nationality of your parents

There are usually provisions for children of people who have Permanent Residence, and have also remaining a country to then apply to get Local Citizenship, but you don't get it automatically.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nat… - 10 year rule.

This is the case for the UK.

She is also under 18, so her parents are legally responsible for her and deciding where she will best looked after. So if they are returning or unable to look after her in the UK.... where would she stay ?

So despite having lived in the UK for a long period of time (on a dependants visa), her passport and her nationality will be Lebanese. She is not being forced to go somewhere, she is basically going home 'returning' (Albeit to one she has not really or perhaps ever seen), It is a nice country though as I remember from when I was there a few years ago. (Nice ski slopes just outside/above Beiruit), Worked with a lot of quite clever people working hard to make it a great place in the future, she has the chance to be in at some of that start. I trust her Arabic and French are pretty good, she will need both.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Hmm thank you

Answer 2

If either of her parents is a British citizen when she was born, or held ILR when she was born, then she is a British citizen.
Otherwise just being born in the UK does not make one a citizen.

IF she is a citizen, she can move out, leave home at age 16. Many people on her confuse US age of majority laws, with the UK laws. They are not the same.

If she is not a UK citizen, but here on a dependent visa, or worse illegally, then she has to do as her parents tell her.

Answer 3

She would have dual citizenship, which means she's a citizen of both countries.
And yes she would feasibly be able to come back anytime she had the money herself to.

Ask at a citizens advice bureau

Source(s):

British citizen.

Answer 4

At the age of 16 a teenager can own his or her own property. However there is the wait for that property.

If the girl has no backing int he UK logic would dictate to go for now and come back when she can support herself. And moving abroad does not lose her British citizenship

Answer 5

Birth in the UK doesn't make someone a British citizen, one or both parents must be either British citizens or in possession of Indefinite Leave to Remain at the time of the child's birth

Does your friend even know what her immigration status in the UK is?

Answer 6

No - your friend can simply leave home at age 16 and go and live anywhere she likes.

Check this link for further details - one small point, your friend cannot hold a tenancy on a property until age 18. However, there is nothing stopping her sharing with a trusted friend.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/pshe_and_ci…

Answer 7

Britain is not the US (no citizenship per birth there).
So if here parents didn´t have british citizenship on the day of her birth she is NOT
a british citizen anyway.

Answer 8

The only thing she can do is move in with other family members here in the UK
she can't provide for herself at 16, so unless she has other family here she doesn't have a choice

Source(s):

UK

Answer 9

yes, a minor child can be re-located with her parents even without her consent.

Answer 10

no.

Answer 11

No. You have the right to leave home if you are 16.

Answer 12

Unfortunately until she turns 18 she is a child in the eyes of the law.

If she was born in the UK she has British citizenship. If her parents are from a different country she will be able to claim dual nationality and have 2 passports, 1 from the UK and 1 from the Lebannon. When she turns 18 she can make her own choice and move back to the UK anytime as long as she keeps her dual citizenship.

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/british…

http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/british…

http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecon…

These sites explain home office policy in full.

Checking these to see if the Lebannon allows dual nationality is the best way to go