Guidance

British Virgin Islands: Knowledge Base profile

Published 3 April 2024

About: British Virgin Islands

This document contains useful information about British Virgin Islands which will assist His Majesty’s 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 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.

British Virgin Islands: names

This section tells HM Passport Office staff about names in the British Virgin Islands.

Names in the British Virgin Islands can have different spellings depending on how the name is pronounced.

Change of name

Name changes are legal in the British Virgin Islands.

British Virgin Islands: nationality

This section tells HM Passport Office operational staff about nationality in the British Virgin Islands.

British Virgin Islands are a British overseas territory.

Dual nationality is recognised in the British Virgin Islands.

‘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).

In the British Virgin Islands, ‘belonger status’ is gained after 20 years residency.

British Virgin Islands: legitimacy

This section tells HM Passport Office operational staff about legitimacy in the British Virgin Islands.

Legitimacy

The British Virgin Islands recognises a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births. A child is considered:

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

British Virgin Islands: adoption

This section tells HM Passport Office operational staff about adoption in the British Virgin Islands.

Adoption is legal in the British Virgin Islands.

British Virgin Islands: civil partnership and marriage

This section tells HM Passport Office operational staff about civil partnerships and marriage in the British Virgin Islands.

Same sex marriage is not recognised in the British Virgin Islands.

British Virgin Islands: documents

This section tells HM Passport Office operational staff about documents in the British Virgin Islands.

There is a central register for documents in the British Virgin Islands.

Birth certificates

Birth certificates are issued to everyone in the British Virgin Islands. Replacement certificates can be obtained.

There are two types of birth certificate in circulation:

• old style handwritten certificate
• newer style printed certificate

Marriage certificates

Marriage certificates from the British Virgin Islands, are issued and signed by the Registrar General.

Identity documents

In British passports the British Virgin Islands is abbreviated to British Virgin Is.