{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/british-nationality-act-1981/section-18",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/british-nationality-act-1981/section-18.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1981/61",
  "legislation_title": "British Nationality Act 1981",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/british-nationality-act-1981",
  "path": "section/18",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "18",
  "heading": "Acquisition by naturalisation.",
  "text": "(1) If, on an application for naturalisation as a British overseas territories citizen made by a person of full age and capacity, the Secretary of State is satisfied that the applicant fulfils the requirements of Schedule 1 for naturalisation as such a citizen under this subsection, he may, if he thinks fit, grant to him a certificate of naturalisation as such a citizen.\n(2) If, on an application for naturalisation as a British overseas territories citizen made by a person of full age and capacity who on the date of the application is married to such a citizen, or is the civil partner of such a citizen the Secretary of State is satisfied that the applicant fulfils the requirements of Schedule 1 for naturalisation as such a citizen under this subsection, he may, if he thinks fit, grant to him a certificate of naturalisation as such a citizen.\n(3) Every application under this section shall specify the British overseas territory which is to be treated as the relevant territory for the purposes of that application; and, in relation to any such application, references in Schedule 1 to the relevant territory shall be construed accordingly.\n(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in. s. 18 substituted (26.2.2002) by British Overseas Territories Act 2002 (c. 8), s. 2(2)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 18(2) inserted (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33), ss. 261(1), 263, Sch. 27 para. 76; S.I. 2005/3175, art. 2(2) (subject to art. 2(3)-(5))"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 18(3) substituted (26.2.2002) by British Overseas Territories Act 2002 (c. 8), s. 1(1)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 18(4) omitted (2.12.2025) by virtue of Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 (c. 31), ss. 42(2)(j), 65(3)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 18 restricted (20.7.2023) by Illegal Migration Act 2023 (c. 37), ss. 33(2)(b), 68(3)(a) (with s. 55(9))"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/61/section/18",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:13:43.090681+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}