If you are a Permanent Resident adult and not married to a Caymanian, getting Naturalised as a British Overseas Territories Citizen (BOTC) is usually an essential step in the process of seeking to become Caymanian.
Once you have had PR for 12 months (and provided you have lived in Cayman for at least five years), you can apply on grounds of residence for Naturalisation as a British Overseas Territories Citizen (BOTC) by virtue of a connection with the Cayman Islands. Such applications are made under the British Nationality Act. If you have been outside of the Islands for longer than 90 days in total in any one year out of the five years preceding application, or a total of more than 450 days over the course of five years, then this may affect your ability to be granted Naturalisation on the grounds of residency. If you are applying for Naturalisation on the grounds of being married to a BOTC, then you ought not to have been off the Islands for more than 270 days over the course of three years leading up to your date of application. Note: You will still need to pay your PR work-related fees every year once you are Naturalised. However, the spouse of a Caymanian is not liable to pay these fees.
The spouse of a Caymanian or Permanent Resident can (under the current rules) apply for Naturalisation as soon as their “permanent” RERC is approved, provided they have by that been legally and ordinarily resident in the Islands for at least three years and their Caymanian or Permanent Resident spouse is also a themselves a BOTC. Application is made to the Office of the Deputy Governor. Certified copies of your relevant documents are required together with fees totalling CI$1,800. Note: A child under the age of 18 can (on successful application) be registered as a BOTC and the fees total CI$1,300.
Naturalisation entitles the applicant to a BOTC “Cayman Islands” passport but does not make the applicant a Caymanian (i.e. does not grant Status) or give them a right to work or even necessarily to reside in the Islands. It does, however, normally entitle the holder to ultimately apply for the Right to be Caymanian on the basis of residence, provided they remain legally and ordinarily resident in Cayman.
The fact that many people who have become naturalised or registered or have otherwise become BOTCs and possess Cayman Islands passports without being Caymanian can be potentially confusing. It is perhaps best to think of a Cayman Islands passport as a travel document, naturalisation (or registration) as becoming a BOTC (but not a Caymanian), and being Caymanian (known as possessing the Right to be Caymanian) as possessing a particular type of Immigration permission (whether by right, entitlement or grant). Not all Caymanians are BOTCs, and accordingly, large numbers of Caymanians are not entitled to hold BOTC (Cayman Islands) passports.
