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IMMIGRATION STATUS OF THE PARENTS.
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LOSS OF BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENSHIP
19.
ARTICLE 3 PROVIDES FOR THOSE PEOPLE IDENTIFIED UNDER
ARTICLE 2(1) AS BDTCS BY VIRTUE OF A CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG TO
LOSE THAT CITIZENSHIP ON 1 JULY 1997. BUT IT DOES NOT AFFECT
THOSE PERSONS WHO CAN ALSO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT ROUTE TO BDT
CITIZENSHIP BY AN EXCLUSIVE CONNECTION WITH ANOTHER DEPENDENT
TERRITORY. SUCH PEOPLE WILL RETAIN THEIR BDT CITIZENSHIP.
EXAMPLES ARE:
A) A PERSON BORN AFTER 1 JANUARY 1983 IN BANGKOK TO A
FATHER WHO WAS BORN IN HONG KONG AND A MOTHER WHO WAS
BORN IN GIBRALTAR:
B) A CHILD JOINTLY 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
BERMUDA.
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE NEW STATUS OF BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS)
20.
ARTICLE 4(1) SPECIFIES THE DATE ON WHICH BN(0) STATUS
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.
ARTICLE 4(2) ENABLES HONG KONG BDTCS WHO WILL LOSE THAT
CITIZENSHIP ON 1 JULY 1997 TO HAVE AN ENTITLEMENT TO ACQUIRE
BN(0) STATUS AND TO HOLD OR BE INCLUDED IN A PASSPORT APPROPRIATE
TO THAT STATUS. THE REFERENCE TO PASSPORTS IS CONSISTENT WITH
THE TERMS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM (SEE PARAGRAPH 4
ABOVE).
22.
ARTICLE 4(3) ACCORDS WITH THE TERMS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
MEMORANDUM. IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO ACQUIRE 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 THUS CANNOT RETAIN BN(0) STATUS
BEYOND THAT DATE. THIS ARTICLE THEREFORE PROVIDES FOR BN(0)
STATUS TO BE LOST AT THE SAME TIME AS THE RENUNCIATION OR
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