Ilois: Right of Abode

(asked on 7th July 2020) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's announcement entitled, UK to extend residence rights for British Nationals (Overseas) citizens in Hong Kong, published on 1 July 2020, whether she has plans to extend those rights to (a) Chagosssians and (b) descendants of Chagosssians.


Answered by
Kevin Foster Portrait
Kevin Foster
This question was answered on 14th July 2020

Chagossians born on the British Indian Ocean Territory are British Overseas Territories Citizens, and also automatically became British citizens under the British Overseas Territories Act 2002. These individuals therefore already have the right of abode in the United Kingdom.

Under current British nationality law, citizenship is normally only passed on to one generation born abroad. British citizens can make use of existing immigration routes to bring their family members to the UK.

We have no plans to extend the arrangements for British Nationals (Overseas) set out on 1 July 2020 to Chagossians.

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