Legal bonus for 'no nationality' Britons

The changes will 'right an historical wrong'

Up to 9,000 British passport holders who have been denied UK citizenship because of a legal anomaly are to be given the right to claim residence.

Changes announced by the Home Office will mean certain groups of people from countries such as Zambia and India could move to the UK.

The Home Office says the new regulations will "right an historical wrong".

Thousands of people in a variety of countries around the world were effectively left without nationality and no right to live in the UK after Britain withdrew from its colonies.

But changes, to be announced on Monday, will now allow people from British "protectorates" such as Zambia and so-called British "subjects" born in places like India and the Republic of Ireland before 1949 the right to move to the UK.

About 9,000 people will be eligible to apply, although it is thought many of them will not meet all the requirements needed to actually move.

The measures will be included in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill.

It saw similar regulations introduced in the summer affecting people living in places like Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.