British passport (Gibraltar)

Gibraltar passport

The front cover of a contemporary Gibraltar biometric passport.

Gibraltar ePassport information page
Issued by  Gibraltar
Type of document Passport
Purpose Identification
Eligibility requirements British Overseas Territories citizenship

The Gibraltar passport is a British passport issued to British Citizens and British Overseas Territory Citizen who live in, or have a connection (by birth, for example) with Gibraltar.

As a result of the British Nationality Act 1981, Gibraltarians were British Overseas Territories citizens by default, but could apply for registration as a British Citizen ("an entitlement that cannot be refused") under section 5 of the Act. They are considered British citizens for EU purposes (making them full citizens of the European Union) with all consequential rights and entitlements.[1] Under The British Overseas Territories Act (2002) all British Overseas Territories Citizens have the right to register as British Citizens.[2]

Gibraltar passports are issued by the Gibraltar Passport Office. Since 2005, passports issued in Gibraltar have been biometric.

Gibraltarians travelling within the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland are entitled to use a Gibraltar identity card instead of a Gibraltar passport as a travel document.

Differences

Cover of an older-style Gibraltar-issued British passport

British passports issued in Gibraltar differ from UK issued ones only in some of the wording but otherwise have the same status. The word "Gibraltar" is added beneath "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" and on the information page. The only other difference is that whereas UK-issued passports state that:

Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.[3]

on Gibraltar-issued passports, The Governor of Gibraltar replaces Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State.

References

  1. Gibraltar's Status in the EU
  2. Rights of BOTC's Archived March 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. Inside front cover of a regular UK passport

See also

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