malaysian wanting to go to israel! get a UK passport?

[maeinfin]

Hello,

I'm a 18 year old British born Malaysian. I have a British birth certificate but also have a Malaysian birth cert, and a MyKad.

I'm planning to take a year out from education soon and hope to go to Israel with friends. However, my M'sian passport says I'm not allowed to enter Israel. Is there any way around this?

Also, I am considering giving up my Malaysian passport for a British one for the sake of convenience. Many people have told me that as an adult who will travel worldwide, its easier to have a UK pasport.

To get a British passport, will I need to do the citizenship tests, even though I was born in the UK and have lived and studied here all my life?

Another thing, if I give up the Malaysian passport, do I lose citizenship? If I do, can I ever regain it? Both my parents are Malaysian and still have M'sian passports, but also have UK PR.

Thank you!

[sakura]

Hello,

I'm a 18 year old British born Malaysian. I have a British birth certificate but also have a Malaysian birth cert, and a MyKad.

I'm planning to take a year out from education soon and hope to go to Israel with friends. However, my M'sian passport says I'm not allowed to enter Israel. Is there any way around this?

Also, I am considering giving up my Malaysian passport for a British one for the sake of convenience. Many people have told me that as an adult who will travel worldwide, its easier to have a UK pasport.

To get a British passport, will I need to do the citizenship tests, even though I was born in the UK and have lived and studied here all my life?

Another thing, if I give up the Malaysian passport, do I lose citizenship? If I do, can I ever regain it? Both my parents are Malaysian and still have M'sian passports, but also have UK PR.

Thank you!

I'm sure Malaysian nationals can enter Israel, all that's needed is a visa.

If Malaysia does not recognise dual nationality, then, yes, you will lose it upon taking British citizenship. You can probably regain it if you renounce or other citizenship(s) and re-apply.

When did your parents obtain ILR (Indefinite leave to remain; this is what they have, basically the UK version of "PR")? Do you also have the same status?

[avjones]

Being born in the UK, and having a British birth certificate, doesn't automatically make you a British citizen.

What are / were your grandparents' and parents' nationalities? What was your parents' immigration status when you were born in the UK?

[maeinfin]

Both sets of grandparents are Malaysian. My parents are Malaysian too but were living in the UK for about twenty years before I was born. They both have indefinite leave/permanent residence.

I have the same status. They have a letter saying any children born to them get granted ILR.

It explicitly states in my M'sia passport. "all countries except Israel".. I need a visa to go to the USA, but that's not listed specially so I assumed that Israel was an "under no circumstance" thing. Is that assumption wrong?

[sakura]

Both sets of grandparents are Malaysian. My parents are Malaysian too but were living in the UK for about twenty years before I was born. They both have indefinite leave/permanent residence.

I have the same status. They have a letter saying any children born to them get granted ILR.

It explicitly states in my M'sia passport. "all countries except Israel".. I need a visa to go to the USA, but that's not listed specially so I assumed that Israel was an "under no circumstance" thing. Is that assumption wrong?

Well, that is odd! So definately don't go to Israel with your Malaysian passport. However, do think carefully before renouncing it - do you think you might want to remain Malaysian?

I'm a bit hesitant to reply about the British passport. I know that children born in the UK to parents who obtain ILR (before or after the child's birth, doesn't matter) can be registered as a British citizen automatically (and simply apply for a passport), which is clearly your case. However, since you're 18 and no longer a 'child', I don't know how, or even whether, the situation changes.

Since you were born in the UK and your parents have/had ILR after/before your birth, I am thinking there might be a possibility to just apply for the passport? I think...you were a British citizen all along and so don't need to go through the naturalisation process. But I do not know what application form that would relate to.

Anyone else thinking the same?

[paulp]

I'm sure Malaysian nationals can enter Israel, all that's needed is a visa.

Not sure what happens at Israeli immigration control but a Malaysian official would probably take issue to any Israeli immigration stamp/visa in a Malaysian passport.

[Christophe]

If you were born in the UK and your parents (or one of them) had ILR when you were born, then you are in fact already a British citizen, whatever if might say in your passport. You could, on that basis, simply apply for a British passport - indeed, you couldn't be "naturalised". YOU might find, however, that not everyone at the Passport Agency is aware of this rule about children of ILR holders born in the UK.

Applying for a British passport might well precipitate loss of Malaysian citizenship, since Malaysia does not allow dual nationality, although it seems to tolerate it by defalut (in minors anyway) if the person is born outside Malaysia and doesn't hold a non-Malaysian passport.

If at least one of your parents did not hold ILR when you were born, you will have to naturalise and juimp through all the hoops to be able to travel on a British passport. Naturalisation would certainly trigger loss of Malaysian citizenship.

I do not know if it is possible for Malaysian citizenship to be reclaimed and, if it is, in what circumstances.

As to Israel, Malaysia doesn't recognise Israel and may well not want its citizens to go to Israel. I doubt that Israel would prevent Malaysians travelling to Israel on principle, but you would need a visa and it is hard to see how that would be granted in a passport that is not valid for travel to Israel.

Obviously it is a decision for you to make, but if you were born here and have lived here all your life, and your parents lived here for some years before you were born, it seems that your home is the UK. It would seem to me to make more sense to travel on a British passport since you are effectively "British" in many respects in terms of your life, background, upbringing, schooling, etc. That said, a Malysian passport is not a bad passport at all for international travel, allowing as it does visa-free access to lots of countries. A British passport would of course enable you to work or study in other EU/EEA countries should you wish.

[avjones]

There are several things to consider - I think Malaysia is one of those countries that doesn't allow dual nationality? If so, would you be happy to give up that nationality permanently?

Israel is a tough country to enter, they might not let you in anyway if you are of Malaysian origin. Worth checking with an Israeli consulate?

[JAJ]

If at least one of your parents did not hold ILR when you were born, you will have to naturalise and juimp through all the hoops to be able to travel on a British passport. Naturalisation would certainly trigger loss of Malaysian citizenship.

If he has lived in the U.K. from birth to age 10, he has an entitlement to registration as a British citizen (simpler than naturalisation).

[maeinfin]

Since I'm planning to combine work and travel on my year out, it sounds like it'll be easier overall to get a British passport.

I've heard having a Malaysian will make it easy for me to move there if I wanted to, but I don't think I'd ever want that - I'm too used to western living! So I guess there aren't really any reasons for me to keep the M'sian one, other than the fact that I quite like being "Malaysian"...

Thank you all for the responses and information! I reckon I'll probably switch to a British passport soon after I've finalised my gap year plans.

[sammie121]

other than the fact that I quite like being "Malaysian"...

I don't understand how you call yourself "Malaysian"? i get so confused you were born and raised in the UK? surely your British....

[maeinfin]

I'd be happy to be British if British people would stop throwing bricks through my windows. Literally.

Anyway, I consider myself to have dual nationality. I go back to M'sia every year and most of my extended family are there. It's as much "home" as Britain is. I could make it more complicated and say I'm actually Chinese, but other than skin colour, I'm not.

[archigabe]

I've heard that Israeli immigration will issue immigration stamp on a separate piece of paper on entry into the country, instead of the passport if you so wish. Check with Israeli embassy first.

[maeinfin]

Really?? Wow, that's very cool of them. I'll defo get in touch with them. Thanks.

[penanglad]

Are you Christian? If you can get supporting evidence from your vicar you can apply to the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for permission to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Otherwise, if you enter overland from Egypt or Jordan the Israelis will sometimes agree to let you in with a stamp on a piece of paper.

[tinux]

Hello,

I'm a 18 year old British born Malaysian. I have a British birth certificate but also have a Malaysian birth cert, and a MyKad.

I'm planning to take a year out from education soon and hope to go to Israel with friends. However, my M'sian passport says I'm not allowed to enter Israel. Is there any way around this?

Also, I am considering giving up my Malaysian passport for a British one for the sake of convenience. Many people have told me that as an adult who will travel worldwide, its easier to have a UK pasport.

To get a British passport, will I need to do the citizenship tests, even though I was born in the UK and have lived and studied here all my life?

Another thing, if I give up the Malaysian passport, do I lose citizenship? If I do, can I ever regain it? Both my parents are Malaysian and still have M'sian passports, but also have UK PR.

Thank you!

Hi

You can go to israel and not have the passport stamped either. Israel is aware of this restriction and have a resolusion for it. no worries there.
I am 100% sure of this .
If you do go for British you will lose your other Nationality. it is always best to double check with what future holds for you in terms of investments etc.. in malaysia
the ball is with you
The reason Malaysia restric its citizan to go to israel because Israel illegally took the land by force from Palestinians and therefore not many countries accept that .

[tinux]

I've heard that Israeli immigration will issue immigration stamp on a separate piece of paper on entry into the country, instead of the passport if you so wish. Check with Israeli embassy first.

yes it is true

[Marco 72]

You can go to israel and not have the passport stamped either.

This only applies to people who don't need visas to enter Israel.

[avjones]

The reason Malaysia restric its citizan to go to israel because Israel illegally took the land by force from Palestinians and therefore not many countries accept that .

COuld we perhaps agree not to make inflamatry political statements?

[tinux]

You can go to israel and not have the passport stamped either.

This only applies to people who don't need visas to enter Israel.

That is true.

[tinux]

The reason Malaysia restric its citizan to go to israel because Israel illegally took the land by force from Palestinians and therefore not many countries accept that .

COuld we perhaps agree not to make inflamatry political statements?

I stated a fact. my parents and grand parents homes were stolen by israel .we still have the deeds of the farms.

[avjones]

Not Palestine, though, presumably? If you are referring to the land outside the pre-60s Israel, it was Jordan or Egypt.

[tinux]

Not Palestine, though, presumably? If you are referring to the land outside the pre-60s Israel, it was Jordan or Egypt.

lets leave politics aside. it is a very painful thing to talk about. Only God knows best what some evil people do or did either in secrect or public and he will judge them .as far as i am concerned the land will return to God when we will die. Nothing last. Please don't talk about bad memories anymore many innocent people i knew have been killed
anyway back to the main subjects.

[avjones]

Not Palestine, though, presumably? If you are referring to the land outside the pre-60s Israel, it was Jordan or Egypt.

lets leave politics aside. it is a very painful thing to talk about. Only God knows best what some evil people do or did either in secrect or public and he will judge them .as far as i am concerned the land will return to God when we will die. Nothing last. Please don't talk about bad memories anymore many innocent people i knew have been killed
anyway back to the main subjects.

Um - that's what I said. You started all this by saying, "The reason Malaysia restric its citizan to go to israel because Israel illegally took the land by force from Palestinians and therefore not many countries accept that ."

I said perhaps we should avoid inflammatory political statements, you kept going!

[sammie121]

LOL confuse me even more you say your "Chinese."... i just joined the world of Immigration and citizenship etc........ i have learnt that being born in one country does not mean your of that nationality!!! so much more to it.... and how can i question what your heart tells you!!! i realise you have dual nationality and can claim to both but choose to be Malaysian