There have been 765 applications for Bermuda status since a Supreme Court ruling that opened the way for certain holders of Permanent Residents’ Certificates, the House of Assembly heard.

To date, 215 have been approved, according to Sylvan Richards, the Junior Minister of Home Affairs, responding to parliamentary questions from Opposition MP Walter Roban.

The applications were made under section 20(2)(b) of the Immigration and Protection Act 1956. They follow a May 2014 ruling by the Chief Justice on the case of Rebecca Carne and Antonio Correia.

The two had been granted the right to appeal the ministry’s denial of status, after taking their case to the independent Immigration Appeals Tribunal.

Applications from eligible PRCs were subsequently accepted by the Department of Immigration, although initially there were delays in processing them.

According to figures provided last year by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 1,455 PRCs are eligible, with potentially about 200 of their children also having a case for Bermuda status.