CONFIDENTIAL
of character might be substituted for the present subjective assessment. Associations representing the ethnic minorities favoured objective tests,
and a right of appeal against refusal of naturalisation.
Dual Nationality
11. Comment on the ideas put forward on dual nationality was divided, many
correspondents being in favour of there being no bar to the holding of more
than one citizenship. Nearly all the comments received from people living
abroad were opposed to any restriction on dual nationality.
Statelessness
12.
1
Concern was expressed that some children of British Overseas Citizens
resident in former dependencies might become stateless. It is true that
the children of fathers whose British Overseas Citizenship was not derived
from birth, registration or naturalisation in an existing dependency would
not acquire their father's citizenship, but they might be expected to acquire
the citizenship of the country in which they were born. If countries do not
grant their citizenship to persons born within their territory, even if their
parents are settled there, some of these children might be stateless, but it
is internationally understood (see, for example, the United Nations Convention of 1961 on the Reduction of Statelessness) that the responsibility for
remedying this situation rests primarily on the country in which the child
is born.
Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies From Overseas Now Living
in the United Kingdom.
13. The suggestion in the Green Paper (paragraph 21) that those Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies from overseas who are now resident here should, in general, be granted British Citizenship because, for the most part, they will have established a tie with this country through their residence here on a permanent basis, was generally welcomed. proposals on this subject will be found in paragraph 32
Paper.
The Government's
of the White
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