The Concerned British Expatriates' Society
April 9, 1990
Mr Paul Channon MP
House of Commons London SW1A OAA England
Flat F, 6th floor,
3 - 3G Robinson Road Hong Kong
Chairman: Julian Walsh Office: 844-4988
Fax: 877-2638 Home: 845-0859
Dear Mr Channon,
I am writing to thank you for taking the time to meet me, together with the vice-chairman of our group, during your recent visit to Hong Kong.
You will remember that we discussed the anomalous circumstances in which we find ourselves, in that our spouses, who do not hold full British passports, do not qualify for UK citizenship in any way unless we return to the UK and reside there for 3 years. As we explained to you, we typically wish to stay here and contribute our skills and experience over the difficult years ahead. However, the fact that our spouses remain
remain totally unprotected is forcing us to consider seriously the need to give up our careers and return to the UK.
What we ask simply is that the three year requirement (before a non-British spouse is entitled to citizenship) be permitted to take place in Hong Kong, which is after all a British territory.
The recently announced package does not cater for our spouses. Ironically, the spouses of those Hong Kong people who do qualify will get passports automatically. However, our spouses do not. Whilst we are a small group, we typically occupy sentor positions in commerce, the professions, Government, and cumulatively represent considerable experience. We would have thought that it
we be
would be in Britain's and Hong Kong's interest that we encouraged to stay. Surely the British Government would agree that in our case it really would be 'passports to stay' since we of course can at any time leave Hong Kong to resettle in the UK with our spouses.
You may remember during our meeting that I referred to a letter we received some time ago from Sir Geoffrey Howe (when he was Foreign Secretary) in which
in which he indicated that discretion did exist under the current legislation whereby the '3
'3 year' requirement might be permitted to take place in Hong Kong as long as the spouse had been in the UK at some stage during the 3 years. I attach a copy of the letter for your reference. I have sent a copy also to the Home Secretary to seek his consideration on this point.
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