British subjects (under the British Nationality Act 1981)
British Overseas Territories citizens
British Nationals (Overseas)
British Overseas citizens
British protected persons
See also
Commonwealth citizens
British passports
Right of abode
Indefinite leave to remain
Belonger status (in certain British Overseas Territories)
Law relating to former territories
Hong Kong
Ireland
Thirteen Colonies
Relevant legislation
British Nationality Act 1948 / 1981
Ireland Act 1949
Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 / 1968
Immigration Act 1971
British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983
British Overseas Territories Act 2002
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Legal term that has evolved over time
The term "British subject" has several different meanings depending on the time period. Before 1949, it referred to almost all subjects of the British Empire (including the United Kingdom, Dominions, and colonies, but excluding protectorates and protected states). Between 1949 and 1983, the term was synonymous with Commonwealth citizen. Currently, it refers to people possessing a class of British nationality largely granted under limited circumstances to those connected with Ireland or British India born before 1949. Individuals with this nationality are British nationals and Commonwealth citizens, but not British citizens.
The status under the current definition does not automatically grant the holder right of abode in the United Kingdom but most British subjects do have this entitlement. About 32,400 British subjects hold active British passports with this status and enjoy consular protection when travelling abroad; fewer than 800 do not have right of abode in the UK.
Nationals of this class without right of abode are subject to immigration controls when entering the UK. If they hold no other citizenship, British subjects without right of abode in the UK are effectively stateless, as they are not guaranteed the right to enter the country in which they are nationals.
the United Kingdom but most Britishsubjects do have this entitlement. About 32,400 Britishsubjects hold active British passports with this status and...
A British passport is a travel document issued by the United Kingdom or other British dependencies and territories to individuals holding any form of...
Commoner, an individual subjected to rule by an elite, e.g. in feudalism Subject in a modern constitutional monarchy, e.g. Britishsubject Course (education)...
statuses of British Overseas citizen, Britishsubject, British National (Overseas), and British protected person. All persons born in the British Islands...
composed of several former British colonies whose residents were Britishsubjects. After Confederation into a Dominion within the British Empire in 1867, Canada...
former British colonies founded in the 18th and 19th centuries whose residents were Britishsubjects. After federation as a Dominion within the British Empire...
abolished BritishSubject status, and stripped colonials of their full British Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies, replacing it with British Dependent...
British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies...
process. Pakistan was previously ruled by the British Empire and local residents were Britishsubjects and British protected persons. Although Pakistan gained...
British Citizens, with right of abode in the United Kingdom). Those with British Overseas Territories citizenship remained British nationals (subject...
children. India was previously ruled by the British Empire and local residents were Britishsubjects and British protected persons. Although India gained...
This article concerns the history of British nationality law. British nationality law has its origins in medieval England. There has always been a distinction...
for Britishsubject status into codified statute law for the first time with passage of the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914. British subject...
"Britishsubject"). The CUKC consolidated British citizenship by putting Britain's colonial subjects on equal footing with those living in the British...
abolished BritishSubject status, and stripped colonials of their full British Citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies, replacing it with British Dependent...
Prior to this, Singapore was a colony of the British Empire and municipal citizens were Britishsubjects. Although the country gained independence in...
of the indigenous ruler were not Britishsubjects. British protected states represented a more loose form of British suzerainty, where the local rulers...
transition from an earlier form of British nationality. Before 1949, all citizens of the British Empire were Britishsubjects and owed allegiance to the Crown...
"Tube Alloys" programme – the British atomic bomb research project. Despite wartime restrictions, he became a Britishsubject on 31 July 1942 and signed...
Astor family of New York City. He moved to England in 1891, became a Britishsubject in 1899, and was made a peer as Baron Astor in 1916 and Viscount Astor...
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a royal title normally granted to sons and grandsons of reigning and past British monarchs, together...
Realm. New Zealand was previously a colony of the British Empire and local residents were Britishsubjects. Over time, the colony was granted more autonomy...