5. Persons who acquire BN (0) status will continue to have British Dependent Territories citizenship concurrently until 1 July 1997 when the latter will be lost. However they will not be permitted to hold a passport in each national status simultaneously. A BDTC who applies for BN (0) status will be required to hand in his BDTC passport (if any) for cancellation. Hong Kong BDTCs who do not choose to acquire the status of BN (0) and who would otherwise become stateless on 1 July 1997 will become British Overseas Citizens on that date.
RIGHTS
6. A BN (0) will be entitled to hold a British passport. He will also have
an entitlement to full British consular protection and services when travelling or resident abroad (although not to consular protection in the
People's Republic of China if he is regarded by the Chinese Government as a Chinese national or in any other country of which he is regarded as a national). He will also be exempt, as are BDTCs now, under the UK immigration rules from any requirement to hold an entry certificate or visa to visit the United Kingdom. (The passport will carry an endorsement confirming this.) In addition, a BN (0) will have the right of abode in Hong Kong (see paragraph 10 below).
PASSPORTS
7. The issue of passports endorsed with the new status will commence from
the introduction of the status on 1 July 1987.
8. To ensure continuity after 1997, passports issued to BN (0)s in Hong Kong,
as in the United Kingdom and at overseas Posts, will be issued by Her
Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State. (Passports issued in Hong Kong to
BDTCS, being issued by the Governor, would be inappropriate for continued use after 30 June 1997). Passports issued to BN (0)s will have the same 10 year
cycle of validity as other British passports.
9. BDTC passports currently held by Hong Kong people will remain fully valid
until their death or expiry or until they are handed in on application for a
BN (0) passport. No BDTC passport issued to a Hong Kong BDTC from 1 July 1987
will be valid beyond 30 June 1997. Such passports issued in Hong Kong until that date will continue to be issued by the Governor.