CONFIDENTIAL
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; and
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
For the reasons explained in paragraph 8 above it is intended
being.
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 who 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 deprivation of BDTC status if this is done
before July 1997.