British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (July 2011) |
| 1 January 1983 | |
| Other legislation | |
|---|---|
| Amended by | British Overseas Territories Act 2002, Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 |
Status: Amended | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
| British citizenship and nationality law |
|---|
 |
| Introduction |
| Nationality classes |
|
| See also |
| Law relating to former territories |
| Relevant legislation |
The British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983 (1983 c. 6) is an
Under the British Nationality Act 1981, a resident of the Falkland Islands was classed as a British Dependent Territories citizen (BDTCs) unless they also had a connection with the United Kingdom (UK) itself (such as through having a UK-born parent or grandparent). British Dependent Territories citizens were restricted in their right to enter and stay in the UK. The new Act conferred full British citizenship on the residents of the Falkland Islands, giving them more preferential status than that of other BDTCs, including BDTCs of Gibraltar (whose British citizenship must be voluntarily applied for). The 1983 Act had retrospective effect from 1 January 1983, the date on which the 1981 Act had come into effect.
The 1983 Act was passed mainly in response to the Falklands War, which was fought between the United Kingdom and Argentina over the sovereignty of the islands. The United Kingdom maintained that it would stand by the principle of self-determination of allowing the Falkland Islanders to decide their own destiny. It had been argued[2] that the British Nationality Act 1981 had indicated British reluctance to hold the islands, as the residents were not legally full British citizens, and after the war ended in victory for the British, the 1983 Act was passed to clarify the United Kingdom's commitment to the islands.
The Act has been largely superseded by the
See also
- Belonger status
- British nationality law
- History of British nationality law
- British Overseas Territories Citizen
References
- short title is authorised by section 5of this act.
- ^ Bloody Foreigners: The Story of Immigration to Britain, Robert Winder, Hachette UK, 2010, page 368
External links
- Text of the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.
 | This Falkland Islands-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |