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B) A CHILD ADOPTED AFTER 1 JANUARY 1983 IN BERMUDA WHERE
THE MOTHER IS A BDTC BY VIRTUE OF BIRTH IN HONG KONG, AND
THE FATHER IS A BDTC BY VIRTUE OF BIRTH IN THE CAYMAN
ISLANDS.
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE NEW STATUS OF BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS)
20.
ARTICLE 4(1) SPECIFIES THE DATE ON WHICH BN(0) WILL COME
INTO BEING. FOR THE REASONS EXPLAINED IN PARAGRAPH 8 ABOVE IT IS
INTENDED THAT IT SHOULD BE INTRODUCED 10 YEARS BEFORE 1 JULY
1997.
21.
22.
ARTICLE 4(2) ENABLES HONG KONG BDTC WHO WILL LOSE THAT
CITIZENSHIP ON 1 JULY 1997 TO HAVE AN ENTITLEMENT TO ACQUIRE
BN(0) STATUS BY REGISTRATION. THE REFERENCE TO PASSPORTS IS
CONSISTENT WITH THE WORDING OF THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM.
ARTICLE 4(3) ACCORDS WITH THE TERMS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
MEMORANDUM. IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO RETAIN BN (0) STATUS A
PERSON MUST BE A BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN ON 30 JUNE
1997. A PERSON WHO ACQUIRES BN(0) STATUS AND SUBSEQUENTLY
RENOUNCES OR IS DEPRIVED OF BDTC STATUS BEFORE 30 JUNE 1997 WILL NOT MEET THIS REQUIREMENT, AND CANNOT THEREFORE RETAIN BN (0)
STATUS BEYOND THAT DATE.
REMOVAL OF HONG KONG FROM LIST OF DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
23.
ARTICLE 5 DELETES HONG KONG FROM THE LIST OF BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES IN SCHEDULE 6 TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY
ACT 1981 AS FROM 1 JULY 1997.
PROVISIONS FOR REDUCING STATELESSNESS
24.
ARTICLE 6 SETS OUT THE PROVISIONS PROPOSED DURING THE DEBATES ON THE HONG KONG BILL FOR AVOIDING OR REDUCING
STATELESSNESS. THE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLE IS THAT NO FORMER BDTC, NOR ANY CHILD BORN ON OR AFTER 1 JULY 1997 TO SUCH A PERSON, SHOULD BE STATELESS AS A RESULT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. THIS
PRINCIPLE WAS EXTENDED IN THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THE HONG KONG
BILL IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS TO THE GRANDCHILDREN OF FORMER BDTCS
IF THEY ARE BORN STATELESS (OFFICIAL REPORT: VOLUME 461, NUMBER
4
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