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British Overseas Territories Act 2002
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- 2002 c. 8
- British citizenship
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British citizenshipE+W+S+N.I.
3 Conferral on British overseas territories citizensE+W+S+N.I.
(1)Any person who, immediately before the commencement of this section, is a British overseas territories citizen shall, on the commencement of this section, become a British citizen.
(2)Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who is a British overseas territories citizen by virtue only of a connection with the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
(3)A person who is a British citizen by virtue of this section is a British citizen by descent for the purposes of the British Nationality Act 1981 if, and only if—
(a)he was a British overseas territories citizen by descent immediately before the commencement of this section, and
(b)if at that time he was a British citizen as well as a British overseas territories citizen, he was a British citizen by descent.
4 Acquisition by British overseas territories citizens by registrationE+W+S+N.I.
After section 4 of the British Nationality Act 1981 insert—
“4A Acquisition by registration: further provision for British overseas territories citizens
(1)If an application is made to register as a British citizen a person who is a British overseas territories citizen, the Secretary of State may if he thinks fit cause the person to be so registered.
(2)Subsection (1) does not apply in the case of a British overseas territories citizen who—
(a)is such a citizen by virtue only of a connection with the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia; or
(b)has ceased to be a British citizen as a result of a declaration of renunciation.”
5 Acquisition by reference to the British overseas territoriesE+W+S+N.I.
Schedule 1 (which makes provision about the acquisition of British citizenship by reference to the British overseas territories) has effect.
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