14
18.
Article 2 (3) provides that children born in
Hong Kong on or after 1 January 1983 shall not be
regarded as having a connection with Hong Kong if
their parents were only there temporarily, or if
neither or them was a Hong Kong BDTC. It conforms
with the way in which BDT citizenship is acquired at
birth under the British Nationality Act 1981. The
same provision cannot be made for persons born before
1983: prior to 1983, birth in Hong Kong was in itself
sufficient to confer citizenship of the United
Kingdom and Colonies, and thus to establish a clear
connection with Hong Kong irrespective of the
nationality or immigration status of the parents.
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 establish an independent route to BDT
citizenship by an exclusive connection with another
dependent territory.
BDT citizenship.
Such people will retain their