CTWAFV (4)
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(b) International Acceptability of BN(0) passports?
I recognise that this has been a continuing major concern in Hong
Kong.
In accordance with the undertaking which we gave during the debates on the Hong Kong Nationality Order in Council in 1986, we mounted a major worldwide diplomatic exercise before the introduction of the passport on 1 July 1987 to explain the new status and passport to third countries. We are confident that that exercise successfully clarified the issue to third countries.
- No country has indicated that they would not accept the BN (0) passport. Many countries publicly welcomed it.
- The passport has now been in circulation for over eighteen months. Nearly 60,000 people are already travelling on it without encountering problems. [If anyone were to encounter difficulties, we would act quickly to ensure these were resolved].