British Overseas Territories Act 2002

British citizenshipU.K.

3 Conferral on British overseas territories citizensU.K.

(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 registrationU.K.

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 territoriesU.K.

Schedule 1 (which makes provision about the acquisition of British citizenship by reference to the British overseas territories) has effect.