THE COINENT GIBALTAK
His Excellency
Admiral Sir Derek Reffell KCB
Governor and Commander-in-Chief
The Convent
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file-copy
WSB
020/3 345/2
20
REC
12 JUN 1998
с
29th May 1990
HONG KONG IMMIGRANTS
Thşik you for your letter of the 11th April, and the very helpful commento contained in it.
2. I have
L
now had an opportunity to look at the UK Bill and the explanatory material provided with it.
3. Looking at
at our
our own Immigration Control Ordinance, I call gee no difficulty in granting permits of entry and permits of residence to people who currently have British Dependent Territory citizenship by virtue of a connection
connection with Hong Kong, or who have British National (Overseas) Status. I am not so confident about the position in relation to a a person now resident in Hong Kong who currently falls into neither of the categories (leaving aside, of course, those people who have a nationality dependent upon the rules of some other nationality rules than those of the United
United Kingdom). Whilst I do not believe we would have any difficulty in providing either an entry permit or a permit of residence to a suitable applicant in this category, I can see some difficulty about travel documents. This, however, does not seem to me to be the area of greatest concern at the moment.
4. The points you make about: an
individual who now has British Dependent Territories Citizenship by virtue of a connection with Hong Kong, but who will cease to have that on the 1st of July 1997,
seem common sense.
5. The situation does not seem to be so clear in relation to those people who for whatever reason are not British Dependent Territories citizens, but are British Nationals (Overseas). My understanding is that that status will continue after 1997. I would appreciate it if you could assist me to obtain clarification from the UK on both the BDTCS and the British Nationality (Overseas) Status.