CBDT categories.
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Under new law wife (or husband) of Citizen will
first have to live in the UK (for British Citizen) or dependency
(for CBDT) before applying for naturalisation (though conditions
will be easier than for other naturalisation). Government are
resisting pressures for automatic rights to citizenship for
spouses on grounds that it is open to abuse (marriages of convenience)
and could lead to British Citizenship with no real connection with
the UK (which is contrary to basic concept of Bill). Impossible
to make dispensation for CBDT wives without undermining Government's
whole position.
11.
Hong Kong may base their claim for exemption on grounds of
alleged promises of no loss of present entitlement. We know of no
such undertaking given by this government to this effect nor anything
that could bear this interpretation.
SEPARATE CITIZENSHIP
12.
Opposition have tabled amendments to change CBDT scheme to
Gibraltar have let it
a separate citizenship for each dependency.
be known that they would prefer separate citizenship to CBDT,
Many MPs are attracted to separate citizenship for dependencies.
Government will oppose separate citizenships for all now on grounds
of impracticability (wide differences between circumstances of
dependencies; some dependencies would probably prefer CBDT; and
separate citizenships could create misunderstanding and practical
difficulties, eg Hong Kong/China and Falklands/Argentina), But it
is difficult to refute concept of separate citizenship for some
dependencies in principle, and if pressed in Parliament, Government
may wish to allow for possibility for individual dependencies who
want separate citizenships to obtain them in the future. Most
dependencies would probably not want them.
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/13.