What do I need to do to get my British Passport?

My British parents emigrated to the US in the 60's and I was born a year or so later. Since I was born on American soil I am an American Citizen. But, my birth was also registered at the British consulate in San Francisco so I also have a British Birth Certificate. I still have the original document. I believe this makes me a dual citizen, which both the US and the UK allow.

I would like to get a British passport to establish my citizenship. I believe this will help me if I want to work somewhere else within the EC. Is that true?

Any help is welcome.

Can't help w/your practical questions, but there are several who are US born to Brit parents (crabbit.expat, for ex.) who will hopefully be along to help in a wee while.

But yes, you can work anywhere in the EU w/your UK passport.

You need to get your passport through the British Embassy in Washington DC.  The site should have all the info and forms you need.  I did this and it was pretty easy.  I think it took just a month or two for me to get the passport.

Just a note.  It all seems rather complicated, and it may seem from reading the notes at first that you have to submit your parents' birth certificates.  But really, you qualify as naturalized/registered (as I did) and all you will have to submit is your British birth certificate.  You won't need your parents'.  On the form (pdf file) it is section 1b that applied to you.  In the notes (pdf file) scroll down and look for "If you are a British Citizen by naturalisation or registration"--that is the bit that applies to you and you can ignore all the other part even though they also may apply to you.  Those sections are for people who were not registered and who are going directly for the passport without being registered first.

When I applied, I just sent my registration certificate and that's all I needed.

Good luck!

I am not currently in the US. I live and work in South Korea at the moment and I am trying to get a job with my same employer in London. Is it possible to do it anywhere other than the embassy in DC?

Thanks for the links and info.

I don't know--maybe the British embassy in S Korea?

I will be calling them in the next few hours. I will post the results so others in my position will know the answer as well.

Can't help w/your practical questions, but there are several who are US born to Brit parents (crabbit.expat, for ex.) who will hopefully be along to help in a wee while.

Looks like Formica's got it covered! 

I emailed them after several calls failed to get through. They called me back within two hours.

It turns out the main question was where my parents were born. They were both born in England and I was born in the States. So I am eligible for a UK passport since I am a British citizen, which is what I always thought to be true. The nice thing is that I can get it done in Seoul, the new biometric passport, and it can be in my hands within ten business days.

The only problem is I need the original birth certificates for me AND both of my parents. I have mine but I need to call my mom in the states to see if she has theirs.

But I remain confused on the status of my children. They were both born in the US but I was told that they are not automatically UK citizens. If that's true then what do I need to get/establish their UK citizenship?

But I remain confused on the status of my children. They were both born in the US but I was told that they are not automatically UK citizens. If that's true then what do I need to get/establish their UK citizenship?

This is true.  Crabbit.expat can probably help here.  Where are you, crabbit? 

She is British by descent as well, w/US-born children.  I believe, however, that her children have ILE - permanent residency for the UK - and can apply as UK nationals after living in the UK for a certain amount of time.

I've got a related question about the US born kids thing too, just out of curiosity- if they (along with the British by descent parent) don't move to the UK before the age of 18ish (after which they probably don't qualify as dependents), does that mean that they're now no better off as far as immigration goes than someone who has no British ancestry?

Well, since the ancestry rule is only for Commonwealth citizens, I would think so.  So it's up to the parents to get their children established at British nationals while they are still dependents, or they are rather SOL.

But I remain confused on the status of my children. They were both born in the US but I was told that they are not automatically UK citizens. If that's true then what do I need to get/establish their UK citizenship?

Sorry for the late response...life has been INSANE here lately!

Anyway, as you are British 'by descent', your children are not automatically British citizens.  I applied for and received settlement visas for my girls.  They both received ILE (indefinite leave to enter, akin to permanent residency).  After they have been resident in the UK for three years we can apply for them to be registered as British citizens.  Their registration will be a bit different than mine, as they will then be considered British 'other than by descent' and will be able to pass on British citizenship to their children. 

Here's the link that talks about the registration process...

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/applying/nationality/advice/bn4

I believe it's paragraphs 8 and 9 that are applicable.