# British Nationality Act 1981, Section 31: Continuance as British subjects of certain former citizens of Eire.

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

(1) A person is within this subsection if immediately before 1st January 1949 he was both a citizen of Eire and a British subject.
(2) A person within subsection (1) who immediately before commencement was a British subject by virtue of section 2 of the 1948 Act (continuance of certain citizens of Eire as British subjects) shall as from commencement be a British subject by virtue of this subsection.
(3) If at any time after commencement a citizen of the Republic of Ireland who is within subsection (1) but is not a British subject by virtue of subsection (2) gives notice in writing to the Secretary of State claiming to remain a British subject on either or both of the following grounds, namely—
(a) that he is or has been in Crown Service under the government of the United Kingdom; and
(b) that he has associations by way of descent, residence or otherwise with the United Kingdom or with any British overseas territory ,
he shall as from that time be a British subject by virtue of this subsection.
(4) A person who is a British subject by virtue of subsection (2) or (3) shall be deemed to have remained a British subject from 1st January 1949 to the time when (whether already a British subject by virtue of the said section 2 or not) he became a British subject by virtue of that subsection.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/61/section/31 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/british-nationality-act-1981/section-31
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.