The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (the “FCO”) in the UK have released a statement setting out some of the likely effects a no deal Brexit would have on the Overseas Territories including the issue of citizens’ rights and provided assurances that the impact of such a scenario would be minimised as much as possible.
The statement confirmed that British Citizen passport holders resident in the Overseas Territories will have the same rights as British Citizen passport holders in the UK post-exit in any scenario including a no deal. British Overseas Territory Citizen passport holders will see no changes to their rights as a direct result of EU exit in either a deal or a no deal scenario. In any case, the UK Government will provide support and make representations on this issue should the need arise.
A number of Government Departments in the UK are in regular contact with the Attorneys General of the Overseas Territories on a wide range of legislative issues relating to the intended severing of the UK’s ties with the EU to ensure the Overseas Territories’ domestic legislation will continue to operate and is compatible with all relevant UK exit legislation, including sanctions regimes.
