17-JUN-1952 15:50
B4 IND LIVERPOOL
44 091 236 2035
P.05
but story keelings intik
worth
telling
delegation.
(b)
equivalent to the BDTC passport in all but one minor respect (Austria allows BDTC passport holders visa- free entry, but not BN(0) holders), BDTCS stand to lose nothing in having to apply early for registration as BN (O)s and to receive the BN (0) passports. There is no valid reason for wanting to hold the BDTC passports to the last moment. In particular the Government has no plans to make any changes to its
nationality law;
Unfairness
The right to delay applying for registration as a BN(0) right up to 30 June 1997 cannot in practice be granted. Large numbers of applications submitted in the last few weeks or months prior to the change of sovereignty could not be processed by 30 June. The phased programme gives all BDTCs fair chance and reasonable time to submit applications and a guarantee that they will receive
their BN(0) status;
(c) Agreement
-
with
with Chinese
passport.
Need for possession of
passport The understanding reached between the British and the Chinese Governments in the exchange of
Memoranda annexed to the Joint Declaration was that
all BDTCS who wish to use BN (0) passports after 30
June 1997 have to be in possession of the passport by that date. The terms of the United Kingdom Memorandum
link retention of the BN(0) status post 1997 to
holding of a BN (0)
It is legally permissible to allow registered BN(0)s to collect their passports at any time before 1 July 1997 but there would be serious practical difficulties with
either introducing another phased programme for collection ΟΙ leaving registered BN(0)s free to collect their passports at any time before 1 July 1997. Therefore, the registration of status should not be separated from the issuing of the passport and
both have to be completed before 1 July 1997.
5