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in a convenient and logical format all the ways in which a
person may have become connected with Hong Kong. It encompasses
allthe Hong Kong British Dependent Territories citizens
listed in Annex 2 to the White Paper, although as the White
Paper explains, virtually all such people in Hong Kong are
citizens by birth, registration or naturalisation there.
It is possible, however, that a citizen may be able to trace
this connection through a number of the circumstances set out
in Article 2 and in the more detailed Annex 2. While the
categories in Article 2 are satisfactory for legislative purpos
the greater detail given in Annex 2 is intended to help people
find out whether they do come within the Order by matching
their particular circumstances with those in the list.
So Article 2 defines connection with Hong Kong for the purpose of the Order;
and Article 3 then provides that anyone who is a British
Dependent Territories citizen by virtue of such a connection
shall cease to be such a citizen on 1 July 1997.
Article 4 sets out the way in which the new status of British
National (Overseas) may be acquired by those who will cease
to be British Dependent Territories citizen in 1997. The
terms of the UK Memorandum associated with the Joint Declaratic
provides that this status will be acquired by such persons
only if they hold or are included in a passport showing the
new status issued before 1 July 1997 or before the end of
1997 in the case of persons born in the first six months of
that year. Under the terms of the agreement therefore it
will not be transmitted to descendants born after 30 June 1997.
/All