Citizenship Claims by Descent, Marriage or Registration

british citizenship

Our Plan B services investigate claim for citizenship through British ancestry. There are many different potential routes to claim British Citizenship specifically if you were born between 1949 and 1988. Changes to Nationality Laws in 2022 estimate that around 35% of applicants eligible for the Ancestry Visa are now eligible for citizenship by double descent. Click the Special Offer below to know your potential claim now.

South Africans who have British ancestry, are able to claim citizenship from having a British born or naturalised parent. You then are more than likely able to claim British citizenship by descent.

However, there have been amendments in the British Nationality Act which have opened claims for claiming British citizenship by double descent through a grandparent.

British citizenship “otherwise than by descent” from a parent or possibly grandparent. In this instance, options include the ancestor being registered as British at birth, employed in the crown service or born in a foreign territory which is different to where you or your parent were born.

irish citizenship

Irish citizenship is fairly complex but not nearly as complex as British or German citizenship laws. South Africa had many Irish immigrants come to our shores throughout the 1800’s and 1900’s. Our Plan B will help define as clearly as possible Irish citizenship by descent.

Passing on Irish citizenship is effectively limitless to persons born outside of the Republic of Ireland if the correct procedures have been followed. Specifics around these procedures revolve around births to an Irish citizen and registration of births in the Irish foreign births registry. Further detail is included on the Irish citizenship page.

South Africans who have an Irish ancestor should learn more to see if they have a claim to Irish citizenship by descent from a parent, grandparent or even great-grandparent.

Lithuanian citizenship

Due to persecution of Lithuanian citizens during WWI and WWII by Germany and then during Soviet Rule effectively up to 1990 when Lithuania received independence, hundreds of thousands of citizens left the country and effectively lost their Lithuanian citizenship.

When Lithuania became an independent country, their Nationality Act looked to correct the wrongs of the passed for those whose ancestors lost their nationality. It is possible for someone to obtain Lithuanian citizenship by descent from a parent, grand parent and great-grandparent depending on when the left Lithuania.

Many of these citizens who were effectively forced to leave their country of birth were Jewish. It is estimated up to 80% of the South Africa Jewish Community have Lithuanian ancestry, with thousands of eligible persons not taking up Lithuanian citizenship by descent.

PORTUGUESE citizenship

The Portuguese were the first documented European explorers to make land and explore the Southern tip of Africa in the late 1480’s. There is a rich Portuguese history in South Africa from consistent migration from Portugal, specially Madeira and previous Portuguese Colonies of Mozambique and Angola. There are thus an estimated 300,000 plus Portuguese South Africans many of whom have been able to claim Portuguese citizenship by descent through a parent or grandparent.

Recent changes in the Nationality Law has enabled Portuguese citizenship by double descent to be more easily transferred from a grandparent.

The most recent Nationality Laws have also made it possible for someone to obtain Portuguese citizenship by marriage after a time period and other criteria being met. This is one of the few countries where citizenship can still pass on to a spouse by marriage without residency in the country.

german citizenship

German citizenship laws have changed in recent and not so recent times because of injustices to certain groups of people and gender. German Diaspora, which is important for South Africans relates to either expansion of the German empire in the 1880’s into South West Africa. The other case for German citizenship by descent is applicable for Jewish ancestors who were persecuted because of religion and forced out of Germany, Poland and Prussia during WWI and WWII.

Often German citizenship was lost by these ancestors when they relocated as dual citizenship was not permitted. There are routes such as German citizenship by Restoration.

However, there have been many amendments made to the German Nationality Law to correct these injustices of the passed. If you have a German grandparent or great-grandparent you are likely to have a claim to a German citizenship by descent.