8. The right of abode of this community in Hong Kong is secure and protected under both the Joint Declaration and Basic Law. Members of this community (who have only British nationality and no other nationality) will continue to enjoy British consular protection in the future, including in the future SAR.
BRITISH CITIZENSHIP FOR WIVES AND WIDOWS OF EX-SERVICEMEN
9.
This group of elderly ladies numbers about 60. The Home Secretary has given an assurance that the wives and widows of those servicemen who served in the defence of Hong Kong during the Second World War, irrespective of the husbands' nationality (but provided they had remained resident in Hong Kong) could be allowed to come to the United Kingdom to settle and to apply for British citizenship in the normal way. acquire British citizenship in this way, a qualifying period of residence in the UK is required, in accordance with the 1981 Nationality Act.
BRITISH NATIONALITY (HONG KONG) ACT 1990, (BNHKA)
To
10. The Foreign Secretary announced on 20 December 1989 that the Government proposed to introduce legislation to give British citizenship to 50,000 key people in Hong Kong and to the spouses and dependent children of these principal beneficiaries without their having to leave the territory in order to qualify. The British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act which received Royal Assent in July 1990 is designed to anchor people in Hong Kong so that they can continue to make their contribution to the territory's success and prosperity. Selection Scheme under the Act operates in two tranches. projection is for 38,000 places to be allocated in the first tranche and the remaining 10,500 in the second tranche. (Spouses and dependent children are in addition to these figures). The second tranche will open in January 1994 enabling those who have moved into key positions since 1991 to apply.
11. Over 90,000 registrations had been authorised under the Selection Scheme by the middle of August 1993 (34,283 principal beneficiaries and 56,249 dependants as at 21 August).
12.
The
The
Members of the ethnic community are free to compete on the same basis as any other BDTC in the Selection Scheme. understanding is that the ethnic community are taking advantage of this avenue to British citizenship.
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JEB