7.
Conferring British citizenship rather than BN (O) or BOC citizenship on the Hong Kong Indian Community would not benefit future generations
any more, than the present proposals. If it were granted it could be transmitted to only one generation born abroad. In certain circumstances the grandchild born abroad of a British Citizen who was himself born abroad has an entitlement to registration as a British Citizen, but third and subsequent generations born abroad generally have no claim to British citizenship.
8.
It has also been suggested that as an alternative to giving the non-ethnic Chinese the right of abode in the United Kingdom they should be allowed to
keep their BDTC status and settle in another dependent territory. But
right of abode in a dependent territory is governed by that dependent territory's own relevant laws or regulations, which are designed to identify those people who "belong" to that territory. It would not be appropriate to seek to give Hong Kong belongers the right of abode in another dependent territory with which they were not connected.
(iii) ACCEPTABILITY OF THE BN(0) PASSPORT
9. The Government will do all that it can to ensure that BN (O) passport holders enjoy the same access to other countries as that enjoyed at present by BDTC passpor holders.
10. The Government will explain the new status to third countries once the Order is in place and before the new passports are introduced in July 1987. There will be a clear statement in the new passport that the holder has the right of abode in Hong Kong. There is no reason for third countries to introduce different restrictions on entry for BN (0)s to those of BDTCS. The USA, and Australian Governments and the EC Parliament have already welcomed BN(0) passports and we are confident that other Governments will follow their lead.
(iii) FORMER SERVICEMEN
11.
The Government does not believe that it would be appropriate to grant British Citizenship as a matter of course to ex-servicemen in Hong Kong. We fully recognise the contribution made during the war, but many of the servicemen were born in Hong Kong as were their parents and grandparents.
/cont...