Circular 'O' 198/83
GNP 343/24
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56
GNP 343
3/24
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 24
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
26 OCT 1983
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
REGISTRY London SW1H 9NL
PA
Action Taken
24 October 1983
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BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS: IMMIGRATION ENDORSEMENTS IN PASSPORTS
1.
It has been decided that the endorsement Holder is subject to control under the Immigration Act 1971' should not be inserted on page 5 of Passports issued to British Dependent Territories citizens and may be replaced, where appropriate, by a positive dependent territory. 'right of abode' stamp reading 'Holder has the right of abode in [name of territory from which holder derives citizenship]'. There could be advantage to the holder of a passport containing such a positive endorsement of returnability to a specific territory, for example, when seeking temporary admission to, or a visa for, another country.
2. This change applies both to existing passports and to new issues and the procedures described below should be followed.
Amendment of existing passports
3. The endorsement 'Holder is subject to control under the Immigration Act 1971' may be deleted from a passport held by a British Dependent Territories citizen (although the holder will of course remain subject to such control). Where the applicant qualifies, the endorsement 'Holder has the right of abode in [name of territory from which holder derives citizenship]' should be inserted immediately below. (But see the instructions in paragraph 7 below regarding applications made outside that territory.)
4.
Where a passport bears the endorsement 'Holder has the right of re-admission to the United Kingdom', this should not be deleted but the dependent territory 'right of abode' endorsement may be added below it.
5.
When a passport issued before 1 January 1983 is presented for amendment, the national status description on page 1 should be changed at the same time (see DSP 25.7.13).
New Passports
6. The endorsement 'Holder has the right of abode in [name of territory from which holder derives citizenship]' should be made on page 5. (But see the instructions in paragraph 7 below regarding passports issued outside that territory.) Where an applicant is entitled to the endorsement 'Holder has the right of re-admission to the United Kingdom' as well as a dependent territory 'right of abode' endorsement, the latter should normally appear first.
Applications made outside the territory from which British Dependent Territories citizenship is derived
7. When a British Dependent Territories citizen applies for a new passport, or for the amendment of his existing passport, outside the territory from which his citizenship is derived, the United Kingdom 'Holder is subject to control under the Immigration Act 1971' endorsement
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