ན་
ME3ADZ
•
BACKGROUND
PA AKO SA DAAR
سم
488
RESTRICTED
ник отож
RECEIVED IN KEC.S.
25 OCT 1985
INDEX
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A White Paper containing the Hong Kong Nationality Order in Council
was published on 17 October. The purpose of the Order is to
implement
the Exchange of Memoranda on nationality associated with
the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong. The Order provides
for British Dependent Territories citizens by virtue of a connection
with Hong Kong to lose that status on 1 July 1997, and to acquire a
new form of nationality known as British National (Overseas), which
they may retain for the rest of their lives.
The Order in Council does not deal with passport matters, which are
a matter of prerogative, but we have explained publicly that BN (O) passports will be introduced on 1 July 1987 and issued in Hong Kong by the Governor acting as agent of the Secretary of State. The
passport will be in the same format as that issued by UK passport issuing posts to other British nationals, and will be endorsed to
show that the holder possesses a Hong Kong ID card as proof of his
or her right of abode in Hong Kong. We are discussing the wording
of that endorsement with the Chinese Government.
The
international
s ame
to
one of the
access to other
start explaining
acceptability of BN(O) passports i s
mail. issues of concern in Hong Kong. The Government has committed
itself to doing all that it can to secure the
countries for BN (O) s as for BDTCs. We intend
the n ew status to other countries after the Order has been made in
early 1986 and before the is sue of the passports in 1987. Vice President Bush has already helpfully announced that the US will
accept BN (O) passports.
Mr Bruinvels regularly asks questions on Hong Kong.
The answer has been agreed with NTD and the Home Office.
Hong Kong Department
25 October 1985
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