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British Virgin Islands

BVI

image by Martin Grieve, 7 February 2004

Official Name: British Virgin Islands (BVI)
Capital: Road Town
Location: Caribbean
Government Type: Overseas Territory of the UK with Internal Self-Governing
Flag adopted: 15 November 1960
Coat of arms adopted: 15 November 1960
ISO Code: VG

Overview
Vertical Flag
Virgin Islands Search and Rescue (VISAR)

See also:

Overview

I am a British Virgin Islander and as far as I know the shield represents St. Ursula and the lamps of her 11,000 virgin followers during the holy crusades in Europe. That is why Columbus called the islands the Virgin Islands - because the many islands reminded him of St. Ursula and her followers.
Shaina Smith, 7 March 1998

The figure on the badge is St Ursula, a legendary British princess. She is holding one lamp and the other eleven lamps represent the 11,000 virgins who were martyred with her. It is said, probably apocryphally, and certainly scurrilously, that the flag should not be hung vertically.
David Prothero, 23 June 1998

Looking at World Flag Databse by Graham Bartram and if I understood it right, now after the decisions made to make badegs larger and disbaning the white disk entirely, there is a thin white fimbration to be made around the CoA on BVI flag. Is that so? The badge is now somewhat larger, also.
Was there ever used flag with white disk? Possibly, since this flag is so young there was none. But, maybe unofficially, before 1960?
We also have adoption date of 15 November 1960, but on United Kingdom - Colonial Flags it is said that it was adopted (red and blue) in 1956 by Governmnet handout. Can someone elaborate?
Željko Heimer, 10 September 2000

I dont know for sure. But the large-sized CoAs on the fly of a british ensign are a fairily new phenomenon and hence there should be two ensigns: The new one, with a large badge; and the old one, with the badge inscribed on a circle with a diameter of 4/9ths of the flag's height.
Antonio Martins, 13 September 2000

As the designer of the new versions I can confirm that the white fimbration is deliberate. There is no specified width - it is just there to strengthen the outline of darker arms on the dark blue background. It basically replaces the old white discs. In practice this would either be a small white margin left around a printed badge when it is appliqued onto the flag or, if the arms themselves are appliqued or embroidered, it could be an extra white embroidered line around the whole arms.
Graham Bartram, 14 September 2000

From <www.bvi.gov.vg>:
"History of the Flag
The National Flag is the Union Flag being a composite design of St. George’s Cross (England), St. Andrew’s Cross (Scotland) and St. Patrick’s Cross (Ireland). The colours are red, white and blue. The National Flag of the BVI is the Blue Ensign defaced with the Badge of the Territory on its fly, however, the Governor is allowed discretion to authorize its use in the following circumstances:
i. for decorative purposes
ii. for distinguishing purposes inside or outside the Territory on occasions when the use of the Union Flag would be inappropriate or likely to cause confusion.
Authority to fly this flag is limited to the time and locality of the event for which approval is sought.
The Badge of the British Virgin Islands comprises a green shield charged with twelve golden oil lamps with red flames and a female figure, St. Ursula, patron saint of the British Virgin Islands attired in white and wearing sandals, carrying one of those lamps.
History
It is said that when Columbus discovered the British Virgin Islands in 1493, he named them “Las Virgenes” in honour of St. Ursula and her companions. The eleven lamps which surround the figure of St. Ursula each represent 1,000 of the 11,000 Virgins who, according to the legend, were martyred along with St. Ursula. The figure of St. Ursula and the lamps are surrounded by a garland of two green branches.
The present flag was adopted in 1956 and the devices incorporated in the badge were those which had previously been used in the Public Seal. The badge is set against the background of the Union Jack, which is the flag of the United Kingdom.
The personal distinguishing flag of the Governor of the British Virgin Islands is the Union Jack with the Badge of the Territory on a white circular background in the center. Normally it is for use only at Government House when His Excellency is in residence in the British Virgin Islands or when staying elsewhere in the Territory and on the bonnet of the motor car in which His Excellency is traveling on official business. The Blue Ensign defaced with the Badge of the territory shall only be worn at the stern of vessels which belong to or are in the service of the Government."
Gvido Petersons, 7 May 2003

A motto was added to the shield, which came from the Leeward Island arms of 10 April 1909, and granted as arms 15 November 1960. Between 1956 and 1960 some flags may have been produced with the shield but no motto.
David Prothero, 7 February 2004

The British Virgin Islands are a small group of islands located where the eastern Caribbean merges into the western Atlantic. Part of this group, which was originally colonized by Spain and which then eventuallly became a Danish possession, was sold to the US in 1917; the US Government was terrified that Denmark would be invaded by Germany (as actually did happen in 1940), thus giving that country a naval base within striking distance of the US. The other half of the Virgin Islands, which Britain acquired after the Congress of Vienna in 1815, are today the British Virgin Islands. They are unique in that they are possibly the only political entity in the world in which the currency of another country is legal tender; the US dollar is the basic currency circulating in the country.
Ron Lahav, 28 July 2005

Vertical Flag

image by Željko Heimer and Phil Nelson, 22 July 2000

Graham Bartram (1996) notes that the badge is rotated so it remains upright, but no mention of rotating the canton (should it be?).
Phil Nelson, 22 July 2000

British Virgin Islands simply turns their flag 90 degrees to the right. Union flag is on the right with St Andrews Cross in the uppermost position - this follows the GB Union flag.
Joe Bollen, 24 July 2000

Virgin Islands Search and Rescue (VISAR)

"Virgin Islands Search and Rescue (VISAR) is a voluntary organisation dedicated to saving life at sea. It is the officially recognised search and rescue service in the British Virgin Islands, where it provides 24-hour cover every day of the year in close co-operation with the Royal British Virgin Islands police, fire and ambulance services."
:Source: <www.visar.org>
In the site is shown the flag of VISAR, red with emblem on it. However, one of the boats on the top banner has a white version of the flag. It might be possible that VISAR uses two versions of the flag, or maybe one is obsolete.
Valentin Poposki, 24 March 2007