Great Britain: Information on whether an Iranian who lived and studied in England for over ten years and who possesses a social security number and certificate of identity is a British national or has the rights of a national
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 October 1992 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | GBR11846 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Great Britain: Information on whether an Iranian who lived and studied in England for over ten years and who possesses a social security number and certificate of identity is a British national or has the rights of a national, 1 October 1992, GBR11846, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad3480.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to the British High Commission in Ottawa, a British social security number and certificate of identity is only a proof of residence in Great Britain (6 Oct. 1992a). Thus, holding a social security number and certificate of identity is not evidence of British nationality nor does it entitle the holder to any specific rights other than residence (Ibid.). Naturalization could be considered providing the person has resided 5 years consecutively in Great Britain immediately prior to applying (Ibid.; Ibid. 6 Oct. 1992b). If the person was away from Great Britain for more than 450 days, the prior periods of residency will not be considered and he or she will have to reside in Great Britain another 5 years before being entitled to apply for naturalization (Ibid.).
Corroborative or additional information on this subject is currently unavailable to the DIRB in Ottawa. As a complement of information, please find attached a copy of the British Nationality Act 1981 and two articles from the Immigration and Nationality Law and Practice journal: a July 1991 article describing recent changes of the immigration act on re-entry visas (July 1991, 90-94), and a July 1992 article on procedures for handling asylum applications, especially those coming from a "safe third country" (July 1992, 102-103).
References
British High Commission, Ottawa. 6 October 1992a. Telephone Interview with a Representative.
. 6 October 1992b. Fax on the residency rules for naturaliza tion as a British national.
Attachments
British High Commission, 6 October 1992. Fax on the residency rules for naturalization as a British national.
British Nationality Act 1981 (1981 c 61). Halsbury's Statutes of England and Wales. 1990. London: Butterworths.
Immigration and Nationality Law and Practice [London]. July 1992. Vol. 6, No. 3. "Practice Notes: Procedures for handling Asylum Applications," pp. 102-103.
. July 1991. Vol. 5, No. 3. Jim Gillespie. "Visa Nationals, Re-entry Visas and Section 3(3)(b): an Analysis of the Recent Changes," pp. 90-94.
