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CONFIDENTIAL
IMMEDIATE
2
c)
3.
all will forego the option of continuing to hold any form of British nationality. This will be true for those who hold
Chinese or some other nationality but, as BDTC status is not
dependent on the holding of a passport, any BDTC from Hong
Kong who would otherwise become stateless on 1 July 1997
will become a BOC whether or not he holds or has ever held
passport.
We agree with (C), (D) and (E) of para 2 and are aware of
the importance of (F) (see Galsworthy's
(see Galsworthy's letter of 6 June to
Boyd).
Fees: In paragraph (J) of your telno 603 you suggested that
it would be necessary to amend Section 42 (1) (B) (1) of the BNA.
We do not think this will be necessary as Section 42 does not
impose a duty to charge fees for registration or naturalisation.
Passport format:
4.
a)
b)
5.
You should be aware that there is some doubt as to whether
it will be possible to issue a common format passport in
1987. If it proves to be impossible to do so by that date
we
as sume
a
that you would prefer traditional hard blue cover
passports for BN (0) s until common format passports are
introduced in the UK. We shall let you know when a decision
is taken on this point.
We shall of course aim for a lookalike passport as far as
possible. The context is of course wider than Hong Kong and
decisions will affect other British Aationals Overseast.
We doubt for instance that it will be possible to have
"British passport" on the cover of the BN(0) passport as
there might be some domestic reaction to its absence on the
Passpart common EC format issued here.
furthr
ing
(
Grateful for your views on the following questions raised by
the Home Office Passport Department
a)
Given the complication of issuing identity cards would it be simpler for UK passport offices and consular posts overseas
Hong Kong