Commentary on provisions of the Act Section 33: British overseas territories citizenship
British overseas territories citizens are people connected with one of the UK’s 14 overseas territories (for a list of these, see the glossary at annex A). Many British overseas territories citizens are also British citizens, by virtue of the British Overseas Territories Act 2002. Foreign nationals are able to register or naturalise as a British overseas territories citizen if they meet the requirements, and can then apply to register as a British citizen.
	This section prevents ineligible persons people acquiring British overseas territories citizenship under routes which mirror the above routes for British citizenship.
	Subsection (1) provides that an ineligible person will not be entitled to register as a British overseas territories citizen under the following sections of the 1981 Act:
	Section 17(2) – registration of a child under 18 where one of the parents is a British overseas territories citizen "by descent" and lived in the UK for a period of 3 years at any time before the birth.
Section 17(5) - registration of a child under 18 where one of the parents is a British overseas territories citizen "by descent" and the family have lived in the UK for the period of 3 years prior to the application.
Sections 22(1) and 13(1) - registration routes for "resumption of citizenship" following renunciation.
	Subsection (2) provides that the Home Secretary may not register or naturalise an ineligible person as a British overseas territories citizen under the following sections of the 1981 Act:
	Section 17(1) – registration of a child under 18 at the Home Secretary’s discretion, provided they are of good character.
Section 18 - naturalisation as a British overseas territories citizen, based on a period of residence in the UK – three years for spouses and civil partners of British citizens, five years for others.
Sections 22(2) and 13(3) - registration routes for "resumption of citizenship" following renunciation, at the Home Secretary’s discretion.