CONFIDENTIAL
passport issuing in the UK until 1988 but that we should make a gesture
to Europe by specially producing 500 or so of the common EC format passports
(NB not the format which the BN(0)s will receive). We do not wish is to
be revealed in this context that for all intents we have missed our 1987
target for introduction of the common format passport.
Hong Kong have indeed been pressing us to meet July 1987 because of their
concerns about a confusion of passports issued in Hong Kong; the blue hard-
covered BN(0) passport succeeded by the new format burgundy; and the present
Hong Kong blue hard-covered passport for BDTCs to be succeeded by the new
format burgundy. We judge their concerns to be exaggerated. The UK will
be in much the same position with the traditional blue passport likely to
be in circulation alongside the common format and the look-alike until the
turn of the century; EC community countries will have at least 2 types
and the United States of America, Canada and Australia will all have 2 types
as they change to a machine-readable format. The essential thing is to
achieve recognition by third countries of the new status and of the
returnability to Hong Kong of those who hold it. Beyond that there is no
particular problem about the format of passports.
Issuing Policy
As indicated in White Paper availability of the BN (0) status from 1 July 1987
enables BN(0) passports to be issued with the normal 10 year validity so
that they will be valid before and after 1 July 1997. It allows the maximum
time for the issuing authorities to deal with applications for BN (0) passports
and for third countries to grow accustomed to the new nationality status.
Where people opt however for a passport in BDTC status it will be restricted
in validity to 30 June 1997 at which point BDTC (Hong Kong) lapses. In
order to guard against misuse of passports it will not be possible to hold
2 simultaneously in different statuses.
Work is underway in producing application forms for BN (0) passports with
explanatory leaflets.
- 3-
-