UK government support for Chagossians

‘Chagossians’ are people who were born on BIOT (the Chagos Islands) and their descendants. Between 1968 and 1973 the UK government removed people from BIOT and relocated them to Mauritius and Seychelles. Following the passing of the British Overseas Territories Act (2002), many people who were born on BIOT and their children became British citizens and moved to the UK.

NationalityVisits andto Borders ActBIOT

The UK government has previously arranged visits to BIOT for people of Chagossian descent. These visits were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic but will restart when conditions allow.

In 2022, the UK Parliament passed the Nationality and Borders Act. This Act willallows allow anyone of Chagossian descent to become a British citizen or a British Overseas Territories citizen, if they are not one already. The specific provision in the Act relating to Chagossians willcame come into force on 23 November 2022. Other provisions, which a limited number of Chagossians may benefit from, came into force on 28 June 2022.

In 2016, the UK government announced the Chagossian Support Package, to improve the lives of Chagossians where they now live. The government committed to provide approximately £40 million of support over 10 years. The government has funded a number of community projects in the UK and Mauritius and is working to make more support available.

Visits to BIOT

The UK government has previously arranged visits to BIOT for people of Chagossian descent. These visits were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic but will restart when conditions allow.