Citizenship questions

Post new topic

eloisejane Member

Member since 31 March 2023

eloisejaneMember31 March 2023 03:42:50

Hi, not sure if anyone can offer any knowledge on the following subject, but hopefully someone can.

I am a single mum who essentially has sole parenting responsibility of my almost 15 year old daughter. I am eligible for UK citizenship by descent however since I have not as yet lived there for 3 or more years, she is not eligible. I believe she would be able to obtain Indefinite Leave to Enter or can ride in with me while she is at school. It is my understanding that she would be eligible for citizenship once we had lived there for 3 years so long as she is under the age of 18 when we apply. The problem with this is she will already be 15 by the time we move there as would want her to finish this school semester as well as it would take me some time to pack up our lives here. She turns 15 in May and we would probably arrive there in July. I believe we could apply after 2 years for her citizenship depending on the circumstances instead of the usual 3 years if we can show that we plan to live there indefinitely (once I get her there I think she will want to stay).

I essentially have sole responsibility for her although there are no court orders in place. Her father is in jail for crimes that put her in harms way and he will not be released until she is in her 20s. While we are in Australia she only requires one parent to sign off on the things she needs especially since she already has a passport however if we were to apply for citizenship for her as above I would technically need his signature. Does anyone know if the UK government would accept a statement from the court of his crimes and sentence as evidence of my having responsibility for her since he would be a danger to her if he had access or would I need a formal court order? (can go get one but will take time and unfortunately money).

Cynic UK / Netherlands Expert

Member since 15 September 2015

CynicUK / Netherlands Expert31 March 2023 08:49:30

7776

Hi and welcome to the Forum.

Not sure where to go with this. In another post you tell us that you're a Registered Nurse; the UK is short of nurses, to the extent that they have a special website set up to deal with it; this link will take you straight there.

As for your daughter. I can understand your issues but underage kids are an issue and her father needs to cooperate. My understanding is that if you have legal "sole parental responsibility", you can apply, but if you don't, then both parents have to be legally present in the UK. Anyway, the rules are on the UK Gov website; this link will take you straight to it.

As for schooling, Fife council have a website that deals with it; this link will take you straight to it; my advice is to identify potential schools and contact them now and see what they say. We brought our kids to the UK and they didn't speak a word of English, but they were much younger than your daughter. However, despite that, they have all thrived and gone on to Uni and now have families of their own. I don't know how the school curriculum in Australia compares with that in Scotland (they have their own system up there); perhaps speak to your daughter's current school, then speak to the Fife school, perhaps there is some system in place, one thing for certain, you will not be the first person to contemplate what you're doing. Social media is also a potential source of information, just be careful.

There are time issues here, so you need to sort out your UK passport as soon as possible; once you have that you can apply to bring your child with you.

I hope this helps.

Cynic

Expat Team

lukeandalethea86 New member

Member since 20 January 2025

lukeandalethea86New member21 January 2025 04:42:06

Soul parental responsibility doesn’t give you the right to move interstate let alone over seas without the father’s permission no matter how bad a person he is.

I have soul parental responsibility for 2 out of the 4 of my children, one will be 18.5 years when we move and the other just 17 so I had to seek permission from her father even though he hasn’t seen them in 6-7 years and they want nothing to do with him. There is no contact but I still had to ask.

Im from Sydney Australia and the ex lives in Queensland. He can have you bought back to Australia if you have done this the wrong way. You will be charged for kidnapping.

Articles to help you in your expat project in Scotland

Moving with your pets to Scotland
If you are planning to move to Scotland and have a pet (or pets), it is understandably a stressful process to ...
Leisure activities in Scotland
Scotland is a rich country in terms of nature, history and culture. From historical monuments, impressive ...
Working in Dundee
Known as ‘the city of discovery' thanks to science activities that have greatly developed over the years, ...
Working in Edinburgh
More and more foreign professionals are looking to move to Edinburgh for work thanks to its vibrant economy and ...
Accommodation in Edinburgh
When you first move to Edinburgh, you will likely need rented accommodation. From a room in a shared property to a ...
The healthcare system in Scotland
Scotland has a modern and developed health system from which you can benefit during your stay (provided you comply ...
Developing your social circle in Edinburgh
Moving to Edinburgh promises an excellent quality of life, exciting work opportunities, and a vibrant culture full ...
Banking and finance in Scotland
Scotland has a long history when it comes to banking — going back more than 300 years. As such, the ...