British Overseas Territories citizen
A British Overseas Territories citizen (BOTC), formerly called British Dependent Territories citizen (BDTC), is a member of a class of British nationality granted to people connected with one or more of the British Overseas Territories (previously designated "British colonies"). This category was created to differentiate between British nationals with strong ties to the United Kingdom and those connected only with an overseas territory (other than Gibraltar or the Falkland Islands), both of which groups had shared "Citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies" (CUKC) before 1 January 1983. The primary right of citizenship, that of abode in the United Kingdom, had been involuntarily taken away from colonial CUKCs by 1968 and 1971 Acts of Parliament, unless they retained it through a qualifying connection with the United Kingdom. Under the British Nationality Act 1981, which went into effect on 1 January 1983, colonial CUKCs (other than Gibraltarians and Falkland Islanders) without a qualifying connection to the United Kingdom became British Overseas Territories citizens, a citizenship which did not include right of abode anywhere; not even in the territories in which they were born (CUKCs born in the United Kingdom, Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, or the Crown Dependencies of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man all became British Citizens, with right of abode in the United Kingdom). Those with British Overseas Territories citizenship remained British nationals (subject to British sovereignty), but not British citizens. As the United Kingdom is a Commonwealth Realm, all British Nationals, including BDTCs, remained Commonwealth citizens, though free movement by citizens of other Commonwealth countries into the United Kingdom had ended with the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 (the British Overseas Territories are not members of the Commonwealth in their own rights, as it is a community of independent nations, one of which is the United Kingdom).

BOTC status does not give the holder right of abode in the United Kingdom but since 2002, almost all BOTCs simultaneously hold British citizenship, except for those connected only with the territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Nationals of this class who are not also full citizens are subject to immigration controls when entering the UK. About 63,000 BOTCs hold active British passports with this status and enjoy consular protection when travelling abroad.
Q918305
British nationality
Concept
Q46395
British Overseas Territories
LOC
Q145
United Kingdom
LOC
Q1410
Gibraltar
LOC
Q9648
Falkland Islands
LOC
Q1076579
Acts of Parliament
TIME
Q2925745
British Nationality Act 1981
LOC
Q185086
Crown Dependencies
Concept
Q42314
Channel Islands
LOC
Q9676
Isle of Man
LOC
Q918305
British Citizens
Concept
Q7888179
British national
Concept
Q918305
British citizen
Concept
Q5153888
Commonwealth citizen
Concept
Q5153788
Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962
LOC
Q918827
right of abode
UNK
Q37362
Akrotiri and Dhekelia
LOC
Q1290793
British passport
Concept
Q4970593
British Overseas Territories citizen
Concept
Q4970593
British Overseas Territories citizen
Concept
Q4970593
British Overseas Territories citizen
Concept
1983-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1 January 1983
DATE
1968-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1968
DATE
1971-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1971
DATE
1981-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1981
DATE
1983-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1 January 1983
DATE
1962-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1962
DATE
2002-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2002
DATE
territory claimed by
territory claimed by
publication date
instance of