A guest blog by Nicole Sauvage Utku, British Vice-Consul, Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey
This month Robert Murray Jamieson became a British Citizen.
Standing proudly in front of the Union Jack he swore allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen and was handed his certificate by HM Consul General, Leigh Turner.
Robert was born in Australia in 1968 to a British mother, herself born in London in 1935. Many would therefore assume that Robert would have been British by birth, but the nationality laws in place at the time meant children born overseas could not acquire British nationality from their mothers.
Subsequent changes to the law meant that Robert was finally able to apply for the British Citizenship that some might think should have been his from birth. The significant registration fee has also been removed. Robert now has the option to live in the UK, further his academic studies and be of support to his ageing uncle there.
We celebrated in true British style with a cup of tea and a biscuit.