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to do this either by specific amendment to the relevant sections
of the Act or by a "catch all" form of words.
3.
Identification of persons affected.
Our experience with the Falkland Islands Bill indicates
that it will not be possible simply to identify the persons affected
as those who hold British Dependent Territories citizenship "by
virtue of a connection with Hong Kong". Despite the difficulties
of doing so, we shall need to identify the various categories who
would fall within such a definition.
4.
Persons affected to lose BDTC status on 1 July 1997.
5.
Entitlement of persons affected to acquire the new form of
British nationality by registration.
Provision will be made for application to be made at any
time between the date on which the provision comes into force and
he cut-off date (see 6 below). We envisage that application for
registration and a passport in the new status will be simultaneous,
probably using the same form. We do not propose that separate
certificates of registration will be issued: registration will be
marked by the issue of the passport. The new form of nationality
will probably come into force some years before 1997.
Provision
will therefore be made for persons to hold both BDTC and the new
form of nationality up to 1 July 1997.
6.
A date in advance of 1 July 1997 by which application for
registration must be made.
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