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specific exception only for those born in the first six months of 1997 whose parents were to be allowed to register them for a short time thereafter. The possible practical problem of a last-minute rush for BN (0)s was thus implicit from the start.
It could only have been avoided if the take-up rate of BN(0)s had been very high in the first years after its introduction in 1986/7. Since the BDTC passport which it replaces in 1997 is equally good for travelling until then, this has naturally not happened. If we let things drift, it is now clear that the number of people who tend to leave such things until they have to do them would be so great that many of them might risk not getting their BN (0) at all. It would be completely unreasonable for any government/taxpayer to staff an immigration department temporarily at, say, triple its whole establishment for a few months; and early 1997, as I'm sure you would agree, would be the worst of all times to do this. Because BN(0)s are totally optional after 1997, it is impossible to know how many people will want them (and it would be wrong to encourage them). But rough estimates suggest that 2 or 3 million could come forward for BN (O) then (including nearly a million ordinary renewals). Extra publicity would clearly not be enough in itself to prevent actual loss of rights for some of these individuals, which would cause very serious and justified criticism.
The Hong Kong and British Governments, therefore, with the agreement of the Chinese Government, have arranged an orderly, legally-backed, phased BN(0) registration/take-up programme, with age-group cut-off points as follows (if I may use this opportunity to reinforce this useful information rather prosaically) : end of Oct 93 for those born 1967 · 71; end of Mar 94 for those born 1962 - 66; end of Aug 94 for those born 1957 - 61; end of Feb 95 for those born 1947 -56; end of Jun 95 for those born before 1947: end of Oct 95 for those born 1972 76: end of Mar 96 for those born 1977 81; end of Jun 96 for those born 1982 - 86; end of Sept 96 for those born 1987 91; end of Dec 95 for those born 1992 - 95: end of Mar 97 for those born in 1996 and, to deal with the special concession, end of Sept 97 for those born in first half of 1997 only. For the same reasons there is a cut-off point for naturalization to BDTC (as BDTCship is a prerequisite for qualification for BN(0)), of end March 1996.
Late applications will have to have good reasons, otherwise obviously the cut-off dates would not work, but it is intended to be as flexible as possible within the law. In response to LegCo concern on this subject, the Governor has agreed to set up a panel, with a majority of unofficials to advise him on cases of appeal against the Director of Immigration for rejection of late applications. In response to the same concern, the British Home Secretary has also agreed, as a special concession for Hong Kong from long-standing British practice, to allow people who want to, to retain their BOTC passports (until they all expire on 1 July 1997) even if they take up the BN(O). Since the BDTC status remains (again only until July 1997) 'under' the BN(0) passport, this is not in fact legally necessary (or useful) but it is now allowed for those who wish.
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