Montserrat

Dual Citizenship Montserrat

Allowed

Montserrat is a British Overseas Territory (BOT) governed by The British Overseas Territory Act 2002. With the advent of the Act, Montserratians became entitled to British citizenship since the Act bestows British citizenship to most British Overseas Territories citizens (BOTCs).

In Montserrat, citizenship may be acquired through the status of being a BOTC before Schedule 1 of the Act came into force (“the appointed date”); registration; naturalisation; birth; status as a foundling; adoption; descent; registration of minors; and birth aboard a ship or aircraft. The ordinary citizenship of naturalisation is awarded to a person with five years residence of in the United Kingdom during the eight years immediately preceding application. With regard to citizenship by descent, either parent has to meet specific requirements, namely that they are a British citizen by means other than descent; or they are a British citizen serving abroad.

From the standpoint of the Montserrat BOTC, a person in Montserrat who is described as a BOTC/British citizen is simply classified as a British citizen. A BOTC/ British citizen may renounce his British Citizenship in accordance with Section 12 of the British Nationality Act. A condition of such renunciation is that the UK authorities must be satisfied that the applicant will acquire some citizenship or nationality other than British Citizenship.

British law acknowledges dual citizenship. Persons in Montserrat (other than Montserratians) who enjoy the benefits of dual citizenship, are only hindered from being so described if they are forced by the law in their original domicile to give up their original citizenship before they become British nationals.