Guidance

British Indian Ocean Territory: Knowledge Base profile

Published 16 April 2024

© Crown copyright 2024

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-indian-ocean-territory-knowledge-base-profile/british-indian-ocean-territory-knowledge-base-profile

Version 2.0

About: British Indian Ocean Territory

This document contains useful information about the British Indian Ocean Territory 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 12 April 2024

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with minor formatting changes.

British Indian Ocean Territory: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality for people born in the British Indian Ocean Territory

The British Indian Ocean Territory (also known as the Chagos Archipelago or Chagos Islands) is a British overseas territory.

There is no permanent population on the islands.

People born in the British Indian Ocean Territory may be eligible to hold:

Their direct descendants born outside the British Indian Ocean Territory (for example in Mauritius or the Seychelles) may also have an automatic claim or be eligible to register.

In November 2022, the UK government launched a British nationality route for individuals of Chagossian descent. It allows them to become British nationals free of charge, by registering as British nationals under sections 17H and 4K of the British Nationality Act 1981.

British Indian Ocean Territory: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents issued in the British Indian Ocean Territory

Birth certificates

The Civil Status Office in Mauritius holds the records for people born in Chagos, in the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Back to top