LEGISLATION
2.
The Order in Council
was debated in Parliament in
January and May 1986 and finally made on 5 June 1986.
NATIONAL STATUS
3.
The Order provides that persons who are BDTCS by virtue of a connection with Hong Kong will lose that status from 1 July 1997 when Hong Kong ceases to be a British dependent territory and becomes a Special Administrative Region (SAR)
of the People's Republic of China. But before 1 July 1997 all Hong Kong BDTCs will have the right to acquire a new form of British nationality, to be called British National
(Overseas) (BN (O)) and to retain this new status for their
lifetimes. (Persons born between January 1997 and 30 June 1997 will have until 31 December 1997 to acquire the new status). BN (0) status will be acquired only if a
person holds or is included in a passport showing that
status.
4. The new status of British National (Overseas) will be
introduced with effect from 1 July 1987. This arrangement will give the issuing authorities sufficient time to cope with applications for passports, which will be issued from
that date.
5. Persons who acquire BN (0) status will continue to have
British Dependent Territories citizenship concurrently
until 1 July 1997 when
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