The British Nationality Act 1981

Since 1 January 1983 women have been able to pass on British citizenship to their children who were born outside the UK in the same way as men. Women can pass on their British citizenship to illegitimate children, but men cannot.

From 21 May 2002 people who were British overseas territories citizens (formerly known as British Dependent Territories citizens) became British citizens automatically as long as they had that citizenship by connection with a qualifying territory.

The British overseas territories are:

• Anguilla,
   
• Bermuda,
   
• British Antarctic Territory,
   
• British Indian Ocean Territory,
   
• Cayman Islands,
   
• Falkland Islands,
   
• Gibraltar,
   
• Montserrat,
   
• Pitcairn,
   
• Henderson,
   
• Ducie and Oeno Islands,
   
• St. Helena and Dependencies,
   
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,
   
• the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia,
   
• Turks and Caicos Islands,
   
• Virgin Islands.

The 'qualifying territories' are the British overseas territories but not the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.