Can my US citizen son live in the UK with me?

[Tommo71]

I am a british citizen and my son (12) is a US citizen, and currently resides in the US. I was recently successful in obtaining his British citizenship (April 2014). I now want to get his British passport, but have been told by the passport office that he needs to be in the UK when applying. He will be flying over in August with the intention of staying with me and attending school in September, and obviously I will be making an appointment with the passport office to get his British passport. My question is, will he have problems entering the UK on a US passport and his British citizenship, if his return flight is booked for December (to visit his mum) obviously this being past the standard 3 month visit period.

[Wanderer]

He doesn't need to apply in UK, if you went that route he'd have to leave the UK and re-enter on his UK passport, as you cannot switch from a visit visa. It's six months fir visit visa in UK.

Do you have permissions etc from his mother for him to reside in UK?

https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y ... /child/usa

[ouflak1]

He doesn't need to apply in UK, if you went that route he'd have to leave the UK and re-enter on his UK passport, as you cannot switch from a visit visa. It's six months fir visit visa in UK.

Not to be argumentative, but I can't imagine any scenario where the UK government would require one of its own citizens to leave the country and return on a UK passport! And why would a UK citizen require a visit visa? How would they even qualify for one?

[Amber]

You may either apply for a British Passport abroad or a CoE the latter being generally quicker.

[Wanderer]

He doesn't need to apply in UK, if you went that route he'd have to leave the UK and re-enter on his UK passport, as you cannot switch from a visit visa. It's six months fir visit visa in UK.

Not to be argumentative, but I can't imagine any scenario where the UK government would require one of its own citizens to leave the country and return on a UK passport! And why would a UK citizen require a visit visa? How would they even qualify for one?

First point, maybe not, I just wasn't sure!

Second one surely he would be entering on a US passport, in the absence of a UK one? I dunno if it's possible to enter as a UK citizen without a passport but I'd assumed as he would be 'stamped in' as a US citizen that would be his status?

Note my sig. - perhaps it should say 'IMHO plus misguided interpretation'?!

[Amber]

You can enter the UK on any passport unlike in the US where they expect a US national to enter on a US passport. We have CoE which are placed into foreign passports and satisfy confirmation of nationality and entrance.

[ouflak1]

You can enter the UK on any passport unlike in the US where they expect a US national to enter on a US passport.

Even for the U.S., you are only required to have a passport to enter at controlled border crossings, and even then, they cannot ever actually refuse an American citizen entry into the United States. You will be detained for many hours, if need be, to verify your citizenship by any means available. But if you are a citizen who wants in, and this can be verified, passport or not, they have to let you in. There are no punitive measures for entering without a passport (which is strange when considering the rule exists, but so be it.)