Commonwealth or EU Citizens

Nationality

This is what is shown on your passport or your certificate of naturalisation.

Some people have permits from the Home Office to reside in the UK. Unfortunately, this does not automatically give you the right to vote however long you have been resident.

Also, marriage to a British Citizen does not automatically award British Citizenship (unless the marriage was before 1948). A spouse needs to apply for British Citizenship before they can be registered.

**Many Hong Kong citizens already possess British Citizenship and are eligible for Registration. However, the majority of Hong Kong Citizens were previously British Dependent Territory (BDT) citizens until HK ceased to be a BDT on 1 July 1997. They will now be classed as British Nationals (overseas) or British Overseas citizens - both terms fall within the meaning of Commonwealth citizens as defined by the British Nationality Act 1981 and are eligible for registration.