These arrangements.... are being considered separately between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Hong Kong".
4.2 It is very welcome that s.7 of the draft Order (consequential amendments of British nationality laws) makes it clear that no fee will be required of people registering to become BN(0)s (s.7(1)(d)(i) and (ii)).
4.3 It is not, however, clear how applications will be made: whether it will be necessary simultaneously to acquire a passport in order to register for the new status and whether, if so,
if so, a separate registration application will need to be made.
4.4 It is important that everyone who is eligible and who wishes to do so should be able to acquire (BN(0) status simply and easily. Passports are evidence of nationality, but should not be the only route to acquiring a nationality status. In the case of those applying for passports, a passport application should itself be taken as an application for BN(0) status under s.4(2) of the Order; separate registration forms would then be available for people who wish to acquire BN(0) status but do not at present need a passport.
5. Using the new passports
5.1
The draft Order envisages a 10-year period before Hong Kong returns to China in which Britain can ensure the international acceptability of BN(0) passports.
5.2
Many of the people contacted during JCWI's recent visit to Hong Kong had had problems with international travel after the commencement of the British Nationality Act 1981. These problems are scarcely surprising. Third countries above all wish to be certain that passengers can be returned somewhere. No other country in the world except Britain has six citizenship; no other country in the world refuses entry to its own nationals. Other countries' immigration officers are understandably bemused by and suspicious of the growing`
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