Remedy
Start free

Section 31: Continuance as British subjects of certain former citizens of Eire.

British Nationality Act 1981 · 1981 c. 61View on legislation.gov.uk

Part IV: British Subjects

A person is within this subsection if immediately before 1st January 1949 he was both a citizen of Eire and a British subject.

A person within subsection (1) who immediately before commencement was a British subject by virtue of section 2 of the 1948 Act (continuance of certain citizens of Eire as British subjects) shall as from commencement be a British subject by virtue of this subsection.

If at any time after commencement a citizen of the Republic of Ireland who is within subsection (1) but is not a British subject by virtue of subsection (2) gives notice in writing to the Secretary of State claiming to remain a British subject on either or both of the following grounds, namely—

that he is or has been in Crown Service under the government of the United Kingdom; and
that he has associations by way of descent, residence or otherwise with the United Kingdom or with any British overseas territory ,

he shall as from that time be a British subject by virtue of this subsection.

A person who is a British subject by virtue of subsection (2) or (3) shall be deemed to have remained a British subject from 1st January 1949 to the time when (whether already a British subject by virtue of the said section 2 or not) he became a British subject by virtue of that subsection.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.