Cape Town, South Africa – October 2025
When Gwen Vermeulen, Move Up’s in-house attorney, took on a complex British nationality claim that had been rejected elsewhere, few expected it to end in a historic win. Today, that family proudly holds British passports — three generations reunited with their UK heritage.
The case involved a great-grandmother born in the UK, a maternal line through Zimbabwe, and an adoption that seemed to break the chain of citizenship. To complicate matters further, the applicant’s mother had once relinquished her British citizenship when she naturalised in Zimbabwe.
“Most firms would have stopped there,” explains Gwen. “But we knew British nationality law still allowed a path — if we could reinstate the mother’s status first.”
Move Up’s legal team built a multi-stage submission:
- Reinstatement of the mother’s citizenship through descent.
- Recognition of the adopted status under UK law.
- Consolidated applications for both children once the mother’s reinstatement was approved.
Each step required detailed historical evidence and precise interpretation of nationality legislation — but the result was worth it: the Home Office approved the entire family’s citizenship and passports.
“This case shows that what looks ‘too complicated’ is often just untested,” adds Gwen. “Move Up doesn’t just consult — we litigate, we research, and we win cases that others turn away.”
Why It Matters
This triple-descent victory reinforces Move Up’s position as South Africa’s leading British citizenship and visa authority. It’s also a reminder that thousands of South Africans may have untapped claims to British nationality — even through adoptions, maternal lines, or relinquished citizenships.
If your family has UK heritage, there might be a path back to citizenship you didn’t know existed.