 A person who has not been under Immigration Department control for at least one year and who has lived in the BVI for at least five years (three if married to a BOTC) may apply to the governor for BOTC status, which would also carry with it belonger status.The minor children of parents who have been granted a certificate of residence or belonger status may also be granted the same status as their parents.The rights of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people in the British Virgin Islands are relatively restricted as compared with their rights in most Western countries, including the United Kingdom.