Fi
National Status
CONFIDENTIAL
3.
Persons
lose
who
wi th connection
Hong Kong Dependent Territories Citizen
that status
July
are
have
on
because of a
the national status of British
(BDTC). All such Hong Kong BDTCs will
Ι
1997 when Hong Kong
British dependent territory and becomes a Special Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China.
currently British nationals
ceases to
be
a
Administrative
4.
to
be
Before 1 July 1997 all Hong Kong BDTCs will have the right to
acquire
nationality, form of British
called British
National (Overseas) (BN(O)) and to retain this new status for their
lifetimes.
new a
5.
The
new
valid for
wi th
status of British National (Overseas) will be introduced with effect from 1 July 1987. This is because British
passports are
and ten years,
it would be inappropriate to
issue BDTC
BDTC passports
full ten-year validity, which would be
valid
sufficient
beyond 30 June 1997. This arrangement will also give the
issuing authorities
BN(O) passports.
time to
cope with applications
for
6.
connection
Hong Kong
and
the
Both British Dependent Territories Citizenship by virtue of a
with
status of British National
(Overseas) will run concurrently. from 1 July 1987 until 1 July 1997
former will cease to exist.
*
when the
concerning passports.)
The
status
(See paragraph
of British National
9 below
(Overseas)
will not be
be transmissible to any further generations and it must be acquired before 1 July 1997 (except that children born on or after 1 January 1997 but before 1
before 1 July 1997 may obtain or be included in a BN(O) passport up to 31 December 1997).
CONFIDENTIAL