VOLUME 43
(ANNEX 8) Item 7
REGISTRATION UNDER SECTION 4(5) BNA 1948 1981 (15)
(REGISTRATION AS A BRITISH CITIZEN FOR BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS, BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS, BRITISH SUBJECTS OR BRITISH PROTECTED PERSONS ON GROUNDS OF CROWN OR DESGNATED SERVICE IN A DEPENDENT TERRITORY)
1.
Registration Authority
The registration authority in all cases is the Home Secretary.
2.
Eligibility
2.1
Registration under this section is at the discretion of the Home Secretary. Before an application may be considered the applicant must:
2.2
3.
3.1
3.2
(a)
be a British Dependent Territories citizen, a British Overseas citizen, a British subject under the Act or a British Protected Person; and
(b)
be or have been in Crown Service under the government of a dependent territory; or
(c)
be or have been in paid or unpaid service, other than Crown Service, as a member of any body established by law in a dependent territory of which members are appointed by or on behalf of the Crown.
The categories to be covered by (b) above are for example Colonial Civil servants. Those under (c) above could include such as members of legislative assemblies and councils, education and trade advisory boards etc.
Procedure
When a person applies for registration under this section he should be asked to complete an application Form B. The Post should collect the relevant fees. The completed form should then be sent to the Governor of the relevant Dependent Territory under cover of a letter indicating the nature of the applicant's service and mentioning any personal connections he may have with the United Kingdom. The Governor will then give his views on the application and will forward this to the registration authority for a final decision.
It is expected that discretion under this Section will be exercised sparingly. There is no question of British citizenship being considered as a reward for persons who meet the foregoing requirements and applicants should not be encouraged to think of it as such. Unless the quality of service satisfies the following conditions it is unlikely that registration will be approved, regardless of the extent to which the applicant meets the other criteria. The conditions are that the applicant has performed his or her duties to an exceptionally high standard and the service has been of direct benefit to the United Kingdom as well as to the territory concerned. In the vast majority of cases the service will have been of only incidental benefit to the UK in that it was broadly in keeping with UK interests in the dependency. Such service will not qualify the applicant for registration under this Section. Service of direct benefit to the UK may be defined as service which has immediately furthered the aims and objectives of the UK Government and its people eg outstanding military service, especially in time of war, or service above and beyond the call of duty in other spheres of activity eg in the police force during a time of riot etc. Additionally, the applicant will be expected to have close and continuing links with the UK, eg
January 1986
553
AL/10