UNCLASSIFIED
VB1A QC
IMMEDIATE
ZCZC
UNCLASSIFIED
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE NEW DELHI
TELNO GUIDANCE
OF 24100OZ APRIL 86
HONG KONG NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL
1.
A draft Order in Council made under the Hong Kong Act
1985 and providing for the future British nationality of British Dependent Territories Citizens in Hong Kong will be laid before Parliament in the next few days. You should not initiate
discussion of the subject but in response to enquiries you may
draw freely on the information in paragraphs 2-5 below.
LINE TO TAKE
2.
The draft Order was first published on 17 October 1985 and is intended to come into effect on 1 July 1987. It gives
effect to the nationality provisions of the United Kingdom memorandum associated with the Sino-British Joint Declaration on
the future of Hong Kong. The Order provides that all Hong Kong
British Dependent Territories Citizens (BDTCs) will lose that status on 1 July 1997 but that between 1 July 1987 and 1 July 1997 they will have the right to acquire a new form of British nationality to be called British National (Overseas) (BN (O)), to retain this status for Life and to hold be included in a
passport appropriate to the status.
HKD
MT HILL
3.
233 3722