Nationality and Borders Act 2022

3 Provision for Chagos Islanders to acquire British Nationality

In Part 2 of the British Nationality Act 1981 (British overseas territories citizenship), after section 17G (as inserted by section 2), insert—

“17H Acquisition by registration: descendants of those born in British Indian Ocean Territory

(1) A person is entitled to be registered as a British overseas territories citizen on an application made under this section if—

(a) they are a direct descendant of a person (“P”) who was a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies by virtue of P’s birth in the British Indian Ocean Territory or, prior to 8 November 1965, in those islands designated as the British Indian Ocean Territory on that date, and

(b) they have never been a British overseas territories citizen or a British Dependent Territories citizen.

(2) An application under this section must be made—

(a) in the case of a person aged 18 years or over on the commencement date, before the end of the period of five years beginning with the commencement date;

(b) in the case of a person aged under 18 on the commencement date, or a person who is born before the end of the period of five years beginning with the commencement date, before they reach the age of 23 years.

(3) In subsection (2), “the commencement date” means the date on which this section comes into force.”