[10] Persons who acquire nationality by registration include: Ordinary naturalisation in Jamaica can be obtained by adult persons of legal capacity, who in the 12 months prior to submitting an application resided in the territory, are of good character, and intend to be a resident of Jamaica.

[20] Denaturalisation may occur if a person obtained nationality through fraud, false representation, or concealment; if they have committed acts of treason; if they have committed acts of disloyalty or service to a foreign government; if they are found guilty of certain criminal offences; if they lose their nationality in a Commonwealth country; and if they take up residence abroad.

In an effort to settle the matter, in 1527, the crown ceded the Island of Jamaica to Columbus' family, as their own personal property.

[28] Though private, the island was governed in the same fashion as other Spanish colonies and while the Columbus family were able to select governors and officials, the crown retained the authority to accept or reject appointments.

[28] The island operated as an outpost at the periphery of the Spanish possessions and became a clandestine trading station for the Dutch, French and English traders.

[29] In 1654, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland launched a massive attack upon the Spanish possessions in the Americas hoping to acquire the colonies for Britain.

[30] In 1655, Cromwell's army captured Jamaica and a ten year battle for possession began, which was settled by the 1670 Treaty of Madrid, transferring the island to Britain.

[31][32] In Britain, allegiance, in which subjects pledged to support a monarch, was the precursor to the modern concept of nationality.

[36] Britain established a plantation model to organize society, highly dependent upon sugar, with white elites controlling economic and political power.

[58] The uniform law, which went into effect on 1 January 1915, required a married woman to derive her nationality from her spouse, meaning if he was British, she was also, and if he was foreign, so was she.

[61] The statute reiterated common law provisions for natural-born persons born within the realm on or after the effective date.

[62] For those born abroad on or after the effective date, legitimacy was still required, and could only be derived by a child from a British father (one generation), who was natural-born or naturalised.

[65] Because of a rise in statelessness, a woman who did not automatically acquire her husband's nationality upon marriage or upon his naturalisation in another country, did not lose her British status after 1933.

[66] The 1943 revision allowed a child born abroad at any time to be a British national by descent if the Secretary of State agreed to register the birth.

The federation was unable to develop a unified nationality scheme, as member states tended to identify with their specific island, rather than by region.