22. POSITION OF NON CHINESE ETHNIC MINORITIES/WHY NO SPECIAL
TREATMENT
These people will be eligible to apply under the scheme. and their applications will be considered on their merits.
Have made provision for children and grandchildren of former BDTCs born after 1997 to acquire British Overseas
Citizenship if they would otherwise be stateless.
Have also given specific assurance to Parliament that if the ethnic minorities came under pressure to leave Hong Kong in the future, and had nowhere to go, we would expect
the government of the day to consider their case for admission here with considerable and particular sympathy.
We stand by that undertaking.
23. WILL SPOUSES OF EXPATRIATE BRITISH CITIZENS IN HONG KONG
BE GRANTED CITIZENSHIP?
No plans to amend British Nationality Act 1981 to allow spouses of British citizens in Hong Kong to acquire
British citizenship.
These spouses already have assurances of knowing that if at any time the family wishes to come to the UK, they may accompany thier spouse who is a British citizen and
settle here.
We are however considering if further arrangements
under immigration rules are necessary to meet their
concerns.