Halbert Jones
@halbertjones.bsky.social
Historian of Mexico and US-Latin American relations. A North Carolinian in 🇬🇧. Following US and UK politics, academia and higher education, and UK borders and immigration.
Have been looking forward to catching up on this session.
December 15, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Have been looking forward to catching up on this session.
But he was “heavily engaged with The University of Missouri Tigers football and basketball teams” during his one year at Mizzou! Shouldn’t that count for something??
December 15, 2025 at 12:10 PM
But he was “heavily engaged with The University of Missouri Tigers football and basketball teams” during his one year at Mizzou! Shouldn’t that count for something??
British nationality law has all sorts of post-imperial complexities, but the principle that (pretty much) anyone born in the UK before 1983 was a citizen from birth is straightforward enough!
December 13, 2025 at 8:23 AM
British nationality law has all sorts of post-imperial complexities, but the principle that (pretty much) anyone born in the UK before 1983 was a citizen from birth is straightforward enough!
That had been the de facto position as a result of legislation culminating in the Immigration Act 1971, which introduced the concept of ‘right of abode’ in the UK, subjecting British passport holders without a direct link to the metropolis to immigration control. The BNA 1981 codified that.
December 13, 2025 at 8:14 AM
That had been the de facto position as a result of legislation culminating in the Immigration Act 1971, which introduced the concept of ‘right of abode’ in the UK, subjecting British passport holders without a direct link to the metropolis to immigration control. The BNA 1981 codified that.
Not relevant in this case: It’s not quite right that all ‘UK & Colonies’ citizens were unaffected by the BNA 1981. Only those with a connection to the *UK* (eg, by birth there) remained full British citizens. Those connected to colonies received lesser status (not including the right to live in 🇬🇧).
December 13, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Not relevant in this case: It’s not quite right that all ‘UK & Colonies’ citizens were unaffected by the BNA 1981. Only those with a connection to the *UK* (eg, by birth there) remained full British citizens. Those connected to colonies received lesser status (not including the right to live in 🇬🇧).
I think it would probably just be a matter of making an application for a British passport, with the birth certificate (and whatever else the forms ask for) as supporting documentation/proof of citizenship.
December 12, 2025 at 7:51 PM
I think it would probably just be a matter of making an application for a British passport, with the birth certificate (and whatever else the forms ask for) as supporting documentation/proof of citizenship.
This ceased to be the case from 1/1/1983, when the British Nationality Act 1981 went into effect, limiting birthright citizenship to those born in the UK to a British citizen or ‘settled’ parent (with ‘settled’ meaning ‘granted permanent residence’). But that didn’t affect those born before 1983.
December 12, 2025 at 7:22 PM
This ceased to be the case from 1/1/1983, when the British Nationality Act 1981 went into effect, limiting birthright citizenship to those born in the UK to a British citizen or ‘settled’ parent (with ‘settled’ meaning ‘granted permanent residence’). But that didn’t affect those born before 1983.
Seems it should be pretty straightforward (unless there are some unusual circumstances)? The British Nationality Act 1948 (then in effect) provided for birthright citizenship for all born in the ‘UK and Colonies’, unless the father was a foreign diplomat or a part of an enemy occupying force.
Check if you're a British citizen
Check if you're automatically a British citizen - it depends on where and when you were born and your parents' immigration status.
www.gov.uk
December 12, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Seems it should be pretty straightforward (unless there are some unusual circumstances)? The British Nationality Act 1948 (then in effect) provided for birthright citizenship for all born in the ‘UK and Colonies’, unless the father was a foreign diplomat or a part of an enemy occupying force.
I think Curacao also supplies most of the players for the “Dutch” baseball team when it’s in international competitions!
December 6, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I think Curacao also supplies most of the players for the “Dutch” baseball team when it’s in international competitions!
Since the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved as an entity, Curacao has been a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (alongside the Netherlands, Aruba & St Maarten). It’s some of the smaller Dutch Caribbean islands (Bonaire, Saba & St Eustatius) that are “special municipalities”.
December 6, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Since the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved as an entity, Curacao has been a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (alongside the Netherlands, Aruba & St Maarten). It’s some of the smaller Dutch Caribbean islands (Bonaire, Saba & St Eustatius) that are “special municipalities”.
Reading his press release, the renunciation he is talking about is the bit within the US oath of allegiance in which new citizens renounce allegiance to any foreign state — but that generally doesn’t affect whether a country of origin continues to regard the person as still being their citizen, too.
December 4, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Reading his press release, the renunciation he is talking about is the bit within the US oath of allegiance in which new citizens renounce allegiance to any foreign state — but that generally doesn’t affect whether a country of origin continues to regard the person as still being their citizen, too.
Uncanny how often trains manage to arrive seconds before a higher delay compensation threshold is reached!
November 15, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Uncanny how often trains manage to arrive seconds before a higher delay compensation threshold is reached!
That is indeed the principle behind the Ukraine visa schemes.
Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
Information from UK Parliament on written questions & answers, written statements and daily reports.
questions-statements.parliament.uk
November 15, 2025 at 8:43 AM
That is indeed the principle behind the Ukraine visa schemes.
Reposted by Halbert Jones
Mexico really did have the strongest WWII poster game
October 30, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Mexico really did have the strongest WWII poster game
Reposted by Halbert Jones
Mexico Versus Nazis is a theme that’s really resonating with me of late
October 30, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Mexico Versus Nazis is a theme that’s really resonating with me of late
Another change: EU students don’t feature in the numbers before 2021 (as they didn’t need visas) but do now. So the data doesn’t show how many EU graduates of UK unis used to stay vs leave. They’ll be in the stats now, but of course there aren’t so many of them post-Brexit.
November 1, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Another change: EU students don’t feature in the numbers before 2021 (as they didn’t need visas) but do now. So the data doesn’t show how many EU graduates of UK unis used to stay vs leave. They’ll be in the stats now, but of course there aren’t so many of them post-Brexit.
Changes in the make up of the int’l student population will reflect all sorts of things: recent aggressive/successful recruitment efforts by UK unis and their agents in India, Pakistan, & Nigeria; economic conditions in source countries; policies in other int’l education destination countries; etc.
November 1, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Changes in the make up of the int’l student population will reflect all sorts of things: recent aggressive/successful recruitment efforts by UK unis and their agents in India, Pakistan, & Nigeria; economic conditions in source countries; policies in other int’l education destination countries; etc.
There will also have been changes in the make up by nationality of the int’l student population 15 years ago vs today. This likely makes a difference in these figures, as a higher proportion of students from some countries (eg, India) stay on post-degree than those from others (eg, China).
November 1, 2025 at 7:50 AM
There will also have been changes in the make up by nationality of the int’l student population 15 years ago vs today. This likely makes a difference in these figures, as a higher proportion of students from some countries (eg, India) stay on post-degree than those from others (eg, China).
Would be interesting to break down percentage of those on “other work visas” by those on the Health and Care route vs the main Skilled Worker route. The availability now of the former may partly account for why that “other work” category is higher than in the past.
October 31, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Would be interesting to break down percentage of those on “other work visas” by those on the Health and Care route vs the main Skilled Worker route. The availability now of the former may partly account for why that “other work” category is higher than in the past.
Also interesting: proportion on grad visas 2-3 years out is much higher than percentage on work visas back in the era of the Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) visa, which was similar to the current Graduate visa. Its elimination ca 2011 must account for the drop in the work visa percentage at that point.
October 31, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Also interesting: proportion on grad visas 2-3 years out is much higher than percentage on work visas back in the era of the Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) visa, which was similar to the current Graduate visa. Its elimination ca 2011 must account for the drop in the work visa percentage at that point.