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Pathway

British Citizenship for Chagossian Families

United Kingdom Citizenship
Pathway overview

At a glance

Direct descendants of someone born in the British Indian Ocean Territory can apply for British Overseas Territories citizenship and British citizenship under the Chagossian descendant route.

Type
Registration as a British citizen and a British Overseas Territories citizen
Who it covers
Direct descendants of someone born in BIOT
Deadline
23 Nov 2027 for adults who were 18+ on 23 Nov 2022
Core records
Direct-line birth, marriage, and identity records
Passport access
British passport if British citizenship is granted
Main limit
It is not available through collateral relatives and does not require proving every missing historical document where official records can fill gaps.

Summary

A direct descendant of a person born on the islands forming the British Indian Ocean Territory can register as a BOTC and usually as a British citizen at the same time. The route is free but time-limited. “Direct descendant” includes a child, grandchild and later direct generation, not a sibling, aunt, uncle or cousin.

Pathway fit check

Eligibility

For BOTC registration, the applicant must be a direct descendant of a BIOT-born person and must never previously have been a BOTC or British dependent territories citizen. The linked British-citizenship rules also consider whether the person has already been British; someone who already holds one status can apply only for the other where permitted.

An adult who was 18 or older on 23 November 2022 must apply by 23 November 2027. Anyone younger on that date, or born during the five-year application window, must apply before their 23rd birthday. The announced UK–Mauritius arrangements did not remove or extend these statutory deadlines; official July 2025 guidance says the citizenship rights remain unchanged.

What This Route Allows

Registration can give both BOTC and British citizenship otherwise than by descent, so citizenship can normally pass to a future child born abroad. There is no application or ceremony fee. British citizenship gives the right of abode in the UK; BOTC records the BIOT nationality connection. There is no visa, renewal or settlement stage. A certificate is not a travel document, so a passport is normally needed afterward.

What This Route Is Not

It is not available through collateral relatives and does not require proving every missing historical document where official records can fill gaps. It is also separate from local residence, land or compensation questions.

Next Steps

  1. Apply well before the applicable deadline.
  2. Build the direct chain with full birth, marriage, partnership and name-change records.
  3. If an ancestor's records are missing, submit what exists; UKVI states it can search its records.
  4. Use the online service or Form BIOT and indicate whether applying for both statuses.
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Other routes in United Kingdom.

Sources