Children out of wedlock - UK citizenship:

The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 provision regarding children of unmarried British fathers finally came into effect on 1st July this year. The children of unmarried British fathers will now be considered in the same way as those of British mothers. Although this will apply only to children born on or after 1 July 2006.

If the child was born before 1 July 2006 to a British father and a non-British mother where they are not married the child will not be routinely granted British citizenship. Either the parents will have to get married prior to their offspring's 18th birthday, making him / her "legitimate" and conferring an automatic right to citizenship on the child, or they will be required to make an application for discretionary registration of the child as a British citizen.

PLEASE NOTE: The British Nationality (Proof of Paternity) Regulations in 2006 call for proof of the right to UK citizenship. The British father must be named in the birth certificate within one year of the child's birth and in some cases additional verification may also be required, e.g. a DNA test report.