Part 1: Nationality Chapter 1: British Overseas Territories citizenship Persons subject to immigration control: referral or assessment by local authority etc. Section 3: Provisions for Chagos Islanders to acquire British Nationality
Overview: This section allows direct descendants of Chagos Islanders, to make an application to be registered as both British Overseas Territories citizens (BOTCs). The application must be submitted within five years of commencement or in the case of minors or those born within five years of commencement, before they reach the age of 23. Applicants who meet the requirements to be registered as a BOTC under this section will also qualify for British citizenship under section 4K.
	Background: Since 1971 those born on the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) have been unable to reside there and by 1973 all residents of the BIOT had been relocated outside of British territory. While the first generation born outside British territory acquired British nationality by descent from their parents, subsequent generations have been unable to acquire British nationality through their link to BIOT due to the limitation on British nationality being passed on beyond the first generation born outside UK territory.
	This section inserts new section 17H into the British Nationality Act 1981 ("the 1981 Act") to provide for registration as a BOTC for anyone who is directly descended from a person who was born in the British Indian Ocean Territory ("BIOT").
	Section 17H entitles a person to be registered as a BOTC, if they are the direct descendant of a person who was a Citizen of the UK and Colonies because they were born in the BIOT; and they have never been a BOTC or a British Dependent Territories citizen. Section 17H(2) requires an application under this section to be made within a specified timeframe. The timeframe for a person over the age of 18 on the date this section is commenced is five-year period beginning with the commencement date. The timeframe for a person under the age of 18 on the date of commencement or for a person born within five years of the commencement date is before they reach the age of 23. Section 17H(3) defines "commencement date" as the date section 17H comes into force.