Section 42B: Registration and naturalisation: timing

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

Part V: Miscellaneous and Supplementary

A person who is registered under this Act as a citizen of any description or as a British subject shall be treated as having become a citizen or subject—

immediately on making the required citizenship oath and pledge in accordance with section 42, or
where the requirement for an oath and pledge is disapplied, immediately on registration.

A person granted a certificate of naturalisation under this Act as a citizen of any description shall be treated as having become a citizen—

immediately on making the required citizenship oath and pledge in accordance with section 42, or
where the requirement for an oath and pledge is disapplied, immediately on the grant of the certificate.

In the application of subsection (1) to registration as a British Overseas citizen or as a British subject the reference to the citizenship oath and pledge shall be taken as a reference to the citizenship oath.

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.