Difference Between British Citizen And A British Overseas Citizen

 British citizens and British overseas citizens are two different categories of British nationality. A British national is free to reside and work in the UK without having to adhere to immigration laws. On the other hand, a British national living abroad has little rights in the UK.

British Nationality Types

One of the rare nations with dual citizenships is the United Kingdom. There are six different categories of British nationality. For each citizenship right, they each have different rules. The many British nationalities are briefly covered by the best immigration lawyer in Ireland.

British nationals

People who have the status of Citizen of the UK & Colonies (CUKC) and the right to abode in the United Kingdom and Isles are considered to be British Citizens. By virtue of naturalisation or birth in the United Kingdom and Isles, they get British citizenship.

British nationals abroad

People who retained their British citizenship after gaining independence from Britain are typically given this citizenship. In other terms, a legacy citizenship deriving from connections to a former British colony is known as a British Overseas Citizenship.

British citizens

Those who were neither CUKCs nor citizens of another Commonwealth nation at the time of their birth are known as British subjects. Due to their residence in British India or the Republic of Ireland up to 1949, the majority were British nationals.

BNO, or British National Overseas

The British Nationality (Hong Kong) Order of 1986 and the Hong Kong Act of 1985 created the BNO status.

Residents of Hong Kong who sought for registration as BNOs before Hong Kong was ceded to the People's Republic of China are the BNO holders.

BPP, British Protected Person

The position of a British Protected Person is a legacy of parts of the British Empire that were client states or protected states with seemingly independent leaders under the protection of the Crown but were not formally a part of the empires of the Crown.

Because they are neither Commonwealth citizens nor British nationals, nor are they foreigners, BPPs have a special status.

Citizens of British Overseas Territories (BOTC)

According to the best immigration lawyer in Ireland, people who have British nationality as a result of their connection to a British Overseas Territory are referred to as British Overseas Territories citizens. On January 1, 1983, you acquired citizenship of the British overseas territories if both of the following criteria were satisfied:

If you were a citizen of the CUKC on December 31, 1982, and you were related to a British overseas territory because your ancestor was born there or was naturalised there.

If you were married to a guy who acquired citizenship in one of the British overseas territories on January 1, 1983.

Note that on June 30, 1997, when China reclaimed sovereignty, anyone who possessed British Overseas Territories citizenship due to their connection to Hong Kong lost it. However, if any of the following requirements are satisfied, a person may become a British overseas citizen:

• If they were born after July 1, 1997, they were stateless, not citizens of any nation.
• if they were born to parents who were British nationals (abroad) or BOC.

A person is considered a British citizen if they were born in the UK and at least one of their parents is or was a British citizen or if they were residents of England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland at the time of their birth.

A person acquired British citizenship in 1983 if they were a resident of the United Kingdom or one of its territories or if they had the "right of abode" there. People who have the right to abode are exempt from immigration control and don't need a visa or other authorization to enter the UK. These individuals are unrestricted in their ability to live and work anywhere in the nation.