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WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1920
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE ARGUMENT MADE STRONGLY BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND BY OTHER DEPENDENCIES THAT POSITIVE RECOGNITION OF THE STATUS OF THE REMAINING DEPENDENCIES SHOULD BE GIVEN IN CITIZENSHIP TERMS. THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE WHITE PAPER EMPHASISED THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEPARATE CITIZENSHIP FOR THE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WOULD IN NO WAY ALTER THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THOSE TERRITORIES AND THE UNITED KINGDOM, NOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S OBLIGATIONS AND COMMITMENTS TO THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES AND TO THEIR CITIZENS+.
THE WHITE PAPER PROPOSES IDENTICAL PROVISIONS FOR THE ACQUISITION OF CITIZENSHIP FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP AND CITIZENSHIP OF THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. IN OTHER WORDS, ALL THE PRINCIPLES OF NATIONALITY THAT ARE APPLIED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL BE APPLIED, AS APPROPRIATE, TO THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT CITIZENS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND COLONIES FROM HONG KONG WHO HAD SETTLED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND WHO HAD ACQUIRED THE RIGHT OF ABODE THERE WOULD BECOME BRITISH CITIZENS UNDER THE PROPOSED NEW LEGISLATION.
+NO BODY WHO NOW HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OR A DEPENDENT TERRITORY WOULD LOSE IT BY THESE PROVISIONS,+ HE EXPLAINED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE MAIN PROPOSALS FOR ACQUISITION OF BRITISH CITIZENSHIP OR OF CITIZENSHIP OF THE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WERE 1
* BY BIRTH IN THE TERRITORY- BY DESCENT BY REGISTRATION
AND BY NATURALISATION-
* CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT WOULD BE TRANSMITTED IN THE FEMALE
LINE AS WELL AS THE MALE LINE-
* THERE WOULD BE TRANSMISSION OF CITIZENSHIP ONLY TO THE
FIRST GENERATION BORN ABROAD SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITED EXCEPTIONS-
* A CHILD BORN OVERSEAS OF PARENTS WHO WERE BRITISH CITIZENS
BY DESCENT WOULD BE ENTITLED TO ACQUIRE THE SAME
CITIZENSHIP AFTER THREE YEARS RESIDENCE WITH ITS PARENTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. SIMILARLY A CHILD FROM OVERSEAS OF PARENTS WHO WERE CITIZENS OF BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WOULD BE ENTITLED TO ACQUIRE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENSHIP-
* BRITISH CITIZENS AND CITIZENS OF THE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES BY NATURALISATION OR REGISTRATION WOULD BE EQUATED WITH CITIZENS BY DESCENT. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO PASS ON THEIR CITIZENSHIP TO THEIR CHILDREN BORN OVERSEAS-
* HUSBANDS AND WIVES WOULD BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE
CITIZENSHIP OF THE IR SPOUSES BY NATURALISATION AFTER THREE YEARS RESIDENCE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OR A DEPENDENCY.