Cayman Islands - Passport & Nationality - British Nationality (Cayman Islands)
Residents and those born in the Cayman Islands have several ways in which to claim British Nationality. These are:
- A British or UK-born mother or father
- Not having gained nationality of the Cayman Islands on 01.01.1983
- A grandparent born in the UK
- A parent or grandparent born outside of the Cayman Islands
- A parent or grandparent holding a nationality other than the Caymans
For British Nationality purposes, the Republic of Ireland is included in the definition of the United Kingdom before 31.03.1922.
The new UK Nationality laws that took effect on 01.01.1983 gave rise to many residents gaining one of the various forms of British Nationality. Those born in the Cayman Islands would have held Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC) status. This status would have been lost if the new BOTC status was granted. If not, then British Overseas Citizen (BOC) status would have been achieved and, in some cases, this can be upgraded to full British Nationality.
For these and other forms of British Nationality available to Cayman Island residents, those born there or nationals, click on British Citizenship.
STATUS OF THE CAYMANS
Between 1670 and 1863, it was within the British Crown Dominions.
Between 1863 and 31.12.1948, the British Virgin Islands fell within the Crown’s Dominions as a dependency of Jamaica.
From 01.01.1949 until 05.08.1962, it was within the UK and Colonies as a dependency of Jamaica.
From 06.08.1962 until 31.12.1982, it was within the UK and Colonies. Click here for more information on the status of Citizen of the United Kingdom & Colonies (CUKC), a status achieved by birth in the Colony.
From 01.01.1983 until the present day, it was a British Dependent Territory. Click here for more information on the status of a British Overseas Dependent Territory.
Between 1670 and 31.12.1948, Jamaica fell within the British Crown Dominions (and included the Caymans from 1863 and the Turks & Caicos from 1874).
From 01.01.1949 until 05.08.1962, it was within the UK and Colonies (though in 1959 to 1962, the Caymans and the Turks & Caicos separated from Jamaica).
From 06.08.1962 until the present day, it was an independent Commonwealth country.