Nationality

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on issues of Nationality. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
11.01.2013	Passport application fees
	Passport application fees are set to cover the average costs incurred in processing the application and the cost of providing consular assistance to British citizens overseas. There are different fees for British passports, depending on whether the application is made in the UK or overseas.
10.02.2012	Biometric passports
	This note provides some general information about the UK's "biometric' passports (also known as 'ePassports'), which it began to issue in 2006. The passports include a microchip which stores a digitised image of the holder's passport photograph as well as the biographical details printed on the passport. Non-biometric passports continue to be valid until they expire.
04.11.2011	Constituency casework: immigration, nationality and asylum
	Members of Parliament handle an enormous number of immigration, nationality and asylum enquiries from constituents. This note outlines the legal restrictions on giving immigration advice, gives some suggestions on handling constituents' enquiries, refers to some sources of information that may be helpful for straightforward questions, and highlights training courses available to Members' staff.
03.11.2010	Nationality: children born in the UK with unmarried parents
	Nationality of children with unmarried parents.
12.02.2010	Free passports for British Citizens born before 2nd September 1929.
	Free passports for British Citizens born before 2nd September 1929. By Arabella Thorp. SN/HA/3201.

Research Papers

Date	Description
09.07.2009	Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill [HL]: Committee Stage Report. Bill 115 2008-09.
	This Bill would deal firstly with the transfer of border customs functions to the new UK Border Agency. It would also introduce new naturalisation requirements, deal with various other citizenship issues and place a new duty on the UK Border Agency to safeguard the welfare of children, also making provisions in relation to trafficking babies and children for exploitation. Some elements of the Bill underwent significant change in the Lords. The Bill as first published would have provided for immigration control to be introduced on air and sea routes within the Common Travel Area (the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands), but these controversial provisions were defeated in the Lords. Originally the Bill would also have restricted the involvement of the higher courts in immigration and nationality cases, but a Lords amendment limited the scope of this restriction. At the Commons Committee stage, the clause relating to the Common Travel Area was changed again and the original provisions reinstated. The introduction in the Lords of a grace period for those close to qualifying for naturalisation was reversed and the original provisions relating to judicial review were also reinstated.
22.05.2009	Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill [HL] (Bill 86 of 2008-09).
	This paper is on the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill [HL] (Bill 86 of 2008-09). This Bill would deal firstly with the transfer of border customs functions to the new UK Border Agency. It would also introduce new naturalisation requirements and deal with various other citizenship issues. The Bill as it was introduced in the Lords would have provided for immigration control to be introduced on air and sea routes within the Common Travel Area but these provisions were defeated in the Lords. Originally the Bill would also have restricted the involvement of the higher courts in immigration and nationality cases, but a Lords amendment limited the scope of this restriction. The Bill would introduce a new duty on the UK Border Agency to safeguard the welfare of children and make provisions in relation to trafficking babies and children for exploitation.
31.01.2007	The UK Borders Bill
30.06.2005	Immigration Asylum and Nationality Bill (Bill 13 of 2005-06)
	Immigration Asylum and Nationality Bill. (Bill 13 of 2005-06). House of Commons Library Research Paper 05/52
23.04.2002	Nationality Immigration and Asylum Bill (Bill 119 of 2001/02)
	The Nationality Immigration and Asylum Bill: immigration and asylum. Bill 119 of 2001/02. House of Commons Library Research Paper 02/26.

Select Committee Reports

Date	Description
24.03.2009	Legislative scrutiny: Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill.
	Human Rights Joint Select Committee report [Commons and Lords]

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
29.11.2011	BRITISH PASSPORT-ONLY LANES AT PORTS
	That this House recognises the frustration and anger of many British citizens in having to wait in long queues at entry ports on re-entering the country; applauds the Home Secretary's ...
26.04.2011	DISMISSALS AT LIVERPOOL PASSPORT OFFICE
	That this House is deeply concerned that 14 Identity and Passport Service (IPS) Liverpool permanent passport office staff were dismissed without notice on 21 March 2011 due to a recruitment ...
03.03.2011	REFUSAL OF UK VISA FOR HELEN BERHANE
	That this House regrets the decision by the UK Border Agency to refuse a visa for Helen Berhane to enter the UK; recalls the enormous suffering and persecution endured by Helen whilst ...
16.02.2011	IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY (FEES) ORDER 2011
	That this House regrets the decision to approve the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Order 2011 because for the first time it introduces the power of Government to charge fees for ...
11.10.2010	MAPUCHE PEOPLE OF CHILE
	That this House notes the continuing repression of the Mapuche indigenous people of Chile, the recent hunger strike by Mapuche political prisoners since 12 July 2010 and the demands ...