Search Legislation

British Nationality Act 1948

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes over time for: Part I

 Help about opening options

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the British Nationality Act 1948, Part I. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

Part IU.K. British Nationality

F11, 2.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.K.

Textual Amendments

F1Act (except ss. 3, 32(3), 33(1) (from the beginning to the words “Isle of Man”), 34(1)) repealed by British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61, SIF 87), s. 52(7)(8), Sch. 9 (with transitional provisions in Sch. 8); and Act amended in so far as it still applies (28.6.2022) by 1981 c. 61, ss. 4C(3D), 4I(1A), 17A(4), 17F(2) (as inserted by Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), ss. 1(2), 2(2), 6(2)(3), 87(1); S.I. 2022/590, regs. 1(2), Sch. 1 paras. 1, 2, 5 (with Sch. 2 para. 1))

3 Limitation of criminal liability of citizens of countries mentioned in s. 1(3) and Eire. Status of citizens of Eire and British protected persons. U.K.

(1)A British subject or citizen of Eire who is not a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies shall not be guilty of an offence against the laws of any part of the United Kingdom and Colonies or of any protectorate or United Kingdom trust territory by reason of anything done or omitted in any country mentioned in subsection (3) of section one of this Act or in Eire or in any foreign country, unless—

(a)the act or omission would be an offence if he were an alien; and

(b)in the case of an act or omission in any country mentioned in subsection (3) of section one of this Act or in Eire, it would be an offence if the country in which the act is done or the omission made were a foreign country:

Provided that nothing in this subsection shall apply to the contravention of any provision of the [F2Merchant Shipping Act 1995].

(2)Subject to the provisions of this section, any law in force in any part of the United Kingdom and Colonies or in any protectorate or United Kingdom trust territory at the date of the commencement of this Act, whether by virtue of a rule of law or of an Act of Parliament or any other enactment or instrument whatsoever, and any law which by virtue of any Act of Parliament passed before that date comes into force in any such place as aforesaid on or after that date, shall, until provision to the contrary is made by the authority having power to alter that law, continue to have effect in relation to citizens of Eire who are not British subjects in like manner as it has effect in relation to British subjects.

(3)In the M1Aliens Restriction Acts, 1914 M2 and 1919, and in any order made thereunder the expression “alien” shall not include a British protected person.

[F3(4)In this section “foreign country” and “British protected person” have the same meaning as in the British Nationality Act 1981.]

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources