What does it mean to be part of the British Commonwealth?

What is the Commonwealth? The Commonwealth is an association of countries across the world. Although historically connected to the British Empire, any country can apply to be a member of the Commonwealth, regardless of its intersection with Britain’s colonial past.

What rights do you have as a British citizen?

We can go through all the rights and responsibilities we might associate with citizenship: the right to live in a country, to vote, to stand in elections, to work, to claim benefits, to be joined by family members, to hold a British passport, to serve on juries or even to be loyal to the state.

Why is a Commonwealth different from a state?

The distinction is in name alone. The commonwealths are just like any other state in their politics and laws, and there is no difference in their relationship to the nation as a whole. When used to refer to U.S. states, there is no difference between a ‘state’ and a ‘commonwealth’.

Can Commonwealth citizens work in the UK?

Some Commonwealth citizens have ‘right of abode’ in the UK. This means you can live or work in the UK without immigration restrictions. Check if you can apply to prove you have right of abode in the UK.

Can British citizens live in Commonwealth countries?

The British Nationality Act 1948 redefined British subject as any citizen of the United Kingdom, its colonies, or other Commonwealth countries. At first, all Commonwealth citizens held the automatic right to settle in the United Kingdom.

How does a Commonwealth differ from a state?

What is the purpose of a Commonwealth state?

The Commonwealth states form themselves into a free, sovereign, and independent body politic, or state.” This framing of the state as a commonwealth derives from language of 17th-century thinkers like Thomas Hobbes and John Locke and refers to the goal of creating a political community for the common good.