A UKM questions

I know not many people on here have applied for BC using UKM, but I thought I'd ask anyhow. I have a friend who is applying for her citizenship via a UKM form.

Background: she is Australian born in 1980 currently in the UK with right of abode. Her mother was born in Scotland in 1948 and moved to Australian in 1960.

1. On the UKM guindance notes it states that the applicant must send the following documents
-Your passport; and
-Your full birth certificate; and
-Your mother’s full birth certificate; and either
-Her certificate of naturalisation or registration as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies (or, before 1 January 1949, as a British subject); or
-Papers showing her legal adoption; or
-Her expired citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies passport

Now the problem is that she has her mother's birth certificate, but she does not have her mother's expired passport, nor can she get it as she is estranged from her mother. Does she absolutely need the passport to make the application? Surely, her mother's birth cert proves nationality?

I only have anecdotal evidence for what I'm going to say because I remember someone else doing this a few years ago with the same problem.

She sent in a letter with the application stating that her mother's passport no longer existed, or was lost, or that they were estranged!  (I don't remember exactly anymore)  It was not a problem.

In my own case, my mother's last UK passport is no longer in existence as far as either she or I know...it's been expired for years and she never applied for another one because she thought she was no longer a UK citizen once she took on American citizenship.  Also, she wouldn't let me have it even if she had it available to her because she thinks I'm crazy for wanting to become a dual citizen!  When I apply, I haven't quite decided how I'm going to state all this.    Will probably keep it as simple as the first truth - that it is no longer in existence.

Hope that helps a little bit.  I find it interesting that they ask for the expired passport.  In all likelihood, a lot of those British moms would still have an up-to-date British passport...

Thank you. That is very helpful. I'll suggest this to her. She doesn't really have much choice.

It's my understanding that UKBA is understanding about this one because of the fact that lots of life circumstances could be involved when you are 'suddenly' able to register through a mother who may now be quite elderly or even deceased...again, that's anecdotal based on exchanging emails some years back with one or two people who were able to register after the law changed in their favour in 2002...good luck to your friend!