14 '86 16:38 GMT HO 2 LUNAR HOUSE
P.94
the United Kingdom".
British Dependent Territories citizens do not have to obtain
a visa in advance to visit the United Kingdom, This is the position under the currer Immigration Rules and I can assure the House that this Government has no intention of introducing any visa requirement for such visitors. An explanatory leaflet will
be given to each passport holder making it plain that visitors from Hong Kong are
welcome here, and will set out the holder's position under the Immigration Rules.
I am glad that our response to this request has been welcomed by the Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils. They have said they are confident
that it will greatly help to enhance the acceptability of BN(0) passports to third
countries.
10.
Second, we have agreed to meet the concern for ex-servicemen. Of the 270 or so former servicemen who fought in Hong Kong's defence in the second World War some 60 or so are eligible for registration as British citizens under section 4(5) of
the British Nationality Act 1981, We will give sympathetic consideration to
applications under this provision from any of these former servicemen who are eligible. The remaining 210 or so are not eligible under this provision. But my rt hon Friend the Home Secretary has agreed that any of the 270 (including the 60 who may apply for British citizenship) may be accepted here for settlement if
they wish, together with their dependants. Once settled here, they will, of course, be able to apply for British citizenship in the normal way. We are glad that the Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils have accepted these
arrangements as a fitting recognition of the loyal service these people have given to Hong Kong, and we are pleased to have been able to mark their special
contribution in this way.
11.
Z
As to their third request, we considered the position of those British Dependent
Territories citizens in Hong Kong who are not ethnically Chinese and who have no
other form of citizenship with particular care and sympathy. We accept our
responsibility to them; and we want to make absolutely sure that we meet it in
the best and fairest way possible fair, not only to those citizens in Hong Kong
but to others in Hong Kong and throughout the world. The British Dependent Territori
citizens who are not ethnically Chinese have made it plain they want to continue
to live and work in Hong Kong and to have a citizenship status that will allow
them to continue to travel to other countries. And they are concerned about their
children and grandchildren. Our arrangements meet fully and precisely each of
these concerns in a way that British citizenship alone could not, and we do not
believe it would be right to grant them that citizenship.