British national

British citizenship and British nationality law
Introduction
British nationality law History Citizens of the Republic of Ireland in the United Kingdom
Classes of British national status and other status
British citizens British subjects (under the British Nationality Act 1981) British Overseas Territories citizens British Nationals (Overseas) British Overseas citizens British Protected Persons Commonwealth citizens in the United Kingdom
See also
Right of abode Belonger status (in certain British Overseas Territories and formerly certain former British Dependent territories)
Acts
British Nationality Act 1948 Ireland Act 1949 Immigration Act 1971 British Nationality Act 1981 British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983 British Overseas Territories Act 2002

British national, occasionally United Kingdom national, is a class of persons. The exact composition of the class differs in various United Kingdom Acts of Parliament, most commonly among:

• British Citizen
• British National (Overseas)
• British Overseas Citizen
• British Overseas Territories Citizen
• British Protected Person
• British Subject (as defined in the British Nationality Act 1981)

In some other Acts, e.g. the Atomic Energy Act 1989, "United Kingdom national" does not include British subjects and British protected persons.

Except for British Protected Persons, all the above are also Commonwealth citizens. British Protected Persons, like Irish citizens, are in a unique category in that they are neither Commonwealth citizens (British subjects in the pre-1981 definition) nor aliens.

European Union purposes

British national for European Union purposes is a subset of United Kingdom nationals who are entitled to be regarded as European citizens under the treaties constituting the European Union. They consist of:

• British citizens
• British subjects (as defined in the British Nationality Act 1981) with the right of abode in the United Kingdom
• British Overseas Territories citizens who acquire their citizenship from a connection with Gibraltar

See also

• British nationality law

External links

• Home Office Nationality Instructions