Guidance

Montserrat: Knowledge Base profile

Published 3 April 2024

About: Montserrat

This document contains useful information about Montserrat which will assist HM Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the document and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the document has factual errors then email the HM Passport Office’s Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this document (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the document then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 2.0
• published for Home Office staff on 28 March 2024

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with minor formatting changes.

Montserrat: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Montserrat.

Montserrat is a British Overseas Territory.

Dual nationality is recognised in Montserrat.

‘Belonger status’ is a legal term normally associated with British overseas territories. It refers to people who have close ties to a specific territory, normally by birth or ancestry. The requirements for ‘belonger status’ vary from territory to territory.

If the customer has belonger status in a territory, it is the same as having indefinite leave to remain or indefinite leave to enter (being settled).

Before 11 August 2010, if a person married a British overseas territories citizen (BOTC) from Montserrat they would automatically become a Belonger of Montserrat.

A person who married a BOTC from Montserrat on or after 11 August 2010 does not automatically become a Belonger of Montserrat, they must apply for the Belonger status. They can only apply for belonger status if they have been:

• married to a BOTC from Montserrat for at least 12 months
• resident in Monserrat for a minimum of 3 years

Montserrat: legitimacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy in Montserrat.

Legitimacy

Montserrat recognises a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births.

A child will be considered:

• legitimate:
  • if their parents were married at the time of birth
  • from the time of marriage if the parents marry after the birth
• illegitimate if their parents never marry

Montserrat: adoptions

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoptions in Montserrat.

Adoption is legal in Monserrat. Foreign nationals cannot adopt in Montserrat.

Montserrat: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Montserrat.

Transgender citizens are not recognised in Montserrat.

Montserrat: civil partnerships and marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnerships and marriage in Montserrat.

Same sex marriage and civil partnerships are not recognised in Montserrat.

Religious and civil marriages are legal in Montserrat.

Montserrat: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents in Montserrat.

In Monserrat births, deaths and marriages are recorded centrally at the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s Office issue the certificates.

Birth certificates

The hospital will notify the Registrar’s Office about a birth. The parents must register the details within 21 days. Late registrations are allowed.

The Registrar’s Office will correct any error on a birth record and will add a marginal note to the certificate.

The birth will be re-registered, and a new certificate issued if the father’s name is added to the birth record after the original registration date.

Marriage certificates

The marriage celebrant will record the marriage in a central register and issue the marriage certificate on behalf of the Registrar’s Office.

Death certificate

Death certificates are issued in Montserrat.