The rights associated with belonger status normally include the right to vote, to hold elected office, to own real property without the necessity for a licence, to enter and reside in that territory without immigration restrictions, and to freely accept employment without the requirement of a work permit.
Similarly, it is possible to lose belonger status in a territory while retaining BOTC or British citizenship.
The conferral is in addition to their BOTC and was not reciprocal in nature, and British citizens did not receive any rights to reside in the Overseas Territories without permission.
It was enacted five years after the United Kingdom relinquished sovereignty over its most populous dependent territory, Hong Kong, to the People's Republic of China.
[2] Section 80 now reads as follows: The term "belonger" appears only in the Bermuda Constitution Order of 1968, "A person shall be deemed to belong to Bermuda..." Belongers include those possessing Bermudian status; naturalised British Overseas Territories citizens; the wives of Bermudians or naturalised British Overseas Territories citizens; and the children under the age of eighteen of Bermudians, naturalised British Overseas Territories citizens, and their wives.
With limited exceptions, only Belongers and the spouses of Bermudians may own land, live or work on the island without a permit.
Also with limited exceptions, Belongers must hold at least 60% of the shares and be at least 60% of the directors of companies doing business in Bermuda.
Potentially extending Bermudian status to others is perennially one of the most politically contentious issues on the island.
Under the leadership of Orlando Smith the Government formally committed itself to naturalising no more than 25 persons a year.
The Chief Immigration Officer is required by law, save in exceptional circumstances, to grant such an application.
[10] As with other BOTs, this can be obtained through birth, descent or through a form of naturalisation that is linked to permanent residence.
In order to obtain Turks and Caicos Islander status by grant, it is necessary to complete the prescribed application form and submit it to the appropriate authority.
Since 1997, the right to stand for direct election to the Legislative Council has been restricted to those who are concurrently permanent residents of the territory and nationals of the People's Republic of China through the Special Administrative Region.