GR 200
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 1796512 FEB 81
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 270 OF 17 FEBRUARY
FOR FORD FROM DAVIES
NATIONALITY BILL
TOP COPY
Hire 34011 HICK
RECAVID VAPESTRY NO. 51 18 FEB 1981
BESK OFFICER
RECH RY
81
Action Taken
INDEX
PA
Do
$30.8.
fjos. PGO 30/3
FOLLOWING SECOND THOUGHTS BY MPS, LAST TWO WORDS IN LINE 3 OF PARA 6 OF MY TELNO 262 OF 16 FEBRUARY SHOULD READ
3 MONTHS''
INSTEAD OF ''3 WEEKS''
79A
2. LYONS RAISED AN INTERESTING POINT YESTERDAY, SUGGESTING THAT HOLDERS OF HONG KONG BRITISH PASSPORTS WHO HAVE BEEN RESIDEING IN THE UK FOR 5 YEARS OR MORE, AND HAVE THEREFORE SECURED THE RIGHT OF ABODE, WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO APPLY TO CHANGE THEIR HONG KONG PASSPORTS INTO UK PASSPORTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND IN ANY CASE BEFORE THE NEW LAW COMES INTO EFFECT. OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RUN THE RISK OF LOSING THEIR RIGHT OF ABODE IF THEY SUBSEQUENTLY LEFT THE UK FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD.
3. I AM NOT SURE WHETHER THE RIGHT OF ABODE CAN BE LOST IN THIS WAY AND AM HAVING THIS EXAMINED. IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ALSO TELL ME THAT MOST HONG KONG PEOPLE IN UK KNOW THE SCORE WELL ENOUGH TO GET THEIR PASSPORTS CHANGED AS SOON AS THEY HAVE ACHIEVED 5 YEARS. BUT JUST IN CASE THERE IS A RISK WOULD YOU SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SPREAD THE WORD AT YOUR END. OF COURSE WE WOULD NOT WANT THIS TO BE DONE PUBLICLY AS A HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE, BUT PERHAPS A WORD WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND SIMILAR HONG KONG CHINESE BODIES IN LONDON WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.
MACLEHOSE
MINIMAL
HKGD (4)
NTO
COPIES HONG KONG LONDON
70
RESTRICTED
GOVT OFFICE