Foreign & Commonwealth Office
file
46
340/11
HKD 340
RECEIV
12 DEC 1990
DIEU
Di
11 December 1990
INDEX
RH Edwards Esq
Calle Roman y Cajal 9
Nerja
29780 Malaga
Spain
VER
PA
Achon Thre.
London SWIA 2AH
Telephone: 071-
Dear Mr Edwards,
Thank you for your letter of 28 November, in which you ask about the status of British nationals in Hong Kong.
There are three forms of British Nationality currently available to Hong Kong people who are not full British citizens: British Dependent Territory Citizenship (BDTC), British National (Overseas) (BN (0)), and British Overseas Citizenship (BOC). None of these bestows right of abode in
the UK.
The British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990 provides for full British citizenship to be granted to up to 50,000 heads of household in Hong Kong, plus their families. We expect a maximum of 225,000 people to benefit from the scheme. The holders of these passports will have the same rights in both the UK and Europe as any other British citizen.
The aim of the scheme is to give these key people the confidence they need to boost the stability and prosperity in the territory by staying in Hong Kong after 1997.
BDTC status will lapse in 1997, when the colony reverts to China. Holders of BDTC passports will be able to apply for BN (0) passports before then if they wish to remain British nationals. Those who do not apply will become Chinese nationals, unless they ae not eligible for Chinese or any other nationality, in which case they will automatically become BOCs.
I hope that this will help clarify this complex situation.
Yours sincerely.
Micola Hancock.
N Hancock (Ms)
Hong Kong Department
SUYAOV