Encyclopedia > British Overseas Territories Act 2002
The British Overseas Territories Act 2002 is an Act of Parliament passed in the United Kingdom in 2002, which superseded the British Nationality Act 1981. It makes provision for the renaming of the British Dependent Territories as British Overseas Territories, and the renaming of associated citizenship. It further grants, from 21 May 2002, British citizenship to anyone holding British Overseas Territories citizenship on that date (with the exception of those solely connected with the Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas), whereas this was only available to people from Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands. In Westminster System parliaments, an Act of Parliament is a part of the law passed by the Parliament. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The British Nationality Act 1981 was an Act of Parliament passed by the British Parliament. ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... The United Kingdom has arguably the worlds most complex nationality laws, because of its former status as an imperial power. ... The United Kingdom has arguably the worlds most complex nationality laws, because of its former status as an imperial power. ...
Those acquiring British overseas territories citizenship after 21 May 2002 may usually be registered as British citizens under s4A of the 1981 Act.
While citizens of all the Overseas Territories now have the right of abode in the UK, this is not reciprocal, as UK citizens visiting Overseas Territories are subject to local immigration controls, and require residence or work permits.
It further grants, from 21 May 2002, British citizenship to anyone holding BritishOverseasTerritories citizenship on that date (with the exception of those solely connected with the Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas), whereas previously this was only available to people from Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.
Those acquiring Britishoverseasterritories citizenship after 21 May 2002 may usually be registered as British citizens under s4A of the 1981 Act.
While citizens of all the OverseasTerritories now have the right of abode in the UK, this is not reciprocal, as UK citizens visiting OverseasTerritories are subject to local immigration controls, and require residence or work permits.
Overseasterritories should be distinguished from crown dependencies (the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, which have a different constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom), and protectorates (which were not formally under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom).
Overseasterritories have never been considered integral parts of the United Kingdom, and have never had representation in the British Parliament, on the grounds that they are separate jurisdictions.
By this Act, the redefined status of all Britishterritories was evident.
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