Post-1997 position for British Dependent Citizens
30. The nationality and immigration position of Hong Kong British Dependent Territory Citizens (BDTCs) after 1997 was addressed in the two Memoranda exchanged by HMG and the
Chinese Government when the 1984 Sino-British Joint
Declaration was signed. The British Memorandum recognised
that no-one could continue to derive BDTC status from a
connection with Hong Kong after it ceased to be a British
dependent territory on 1 July 1997. Accordingly, the new status of British National (Overseas) (BN (O)) was created under the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986. This status, which does not carry the right of abode in the UK, can be acquired only before 1 July 1997 and is not transmissible
to the holder's children thereafter. The Chinese Memorandum states that "Hong Kong Chinese compatriots", whether or not they hold BDTC passports (and by extension BN (0) passports), are considered by the Chinese Government to be Chinese
nationals and will not be entitled to British consular
protection in Hong Kong or other parts of China after 30 June
1997.
31.
At present, just under 600,000 people hold a BN (0) passport. The Hong Kong (British Nationality) (Amendment Order) 1993 lays down a phased registration programme (by age groups) for acquisition of the new passports for those
eligible (up to 3.3 million). The Order was introduced to enable the Hong Kong Immigration Department to process all applications before the 1 July 1997 deadline.
Non-Chinese ethnic minorities
32. Special provision has been made for the approximately 7,000 Hong Kong BDTCs who are not ethnically Chinese. They too can become BN (0)s before 1 July 1997. Their children born
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