THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1985
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PROVISIONS FOR CHILDREN BORN IN HONG KONG TO REGISTER AS BDTC'S
AS REGARDS CHILDREN BORN IN HONG KONG ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 1983, UNDER EXISTING PROVISION OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981 SUCH CHILDREN WILL ONLY ACQUIRE BDT CITIZENSHIP AT BIRTH IF ONE PARENT IS EITHER A BDTC OR SETTLED IN A DEPENDENT TERRITORY. THUS CHILDREN OF RECENT IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE NOT ACQUIRED BDT CITIZENSHIP OR ACHIEVED SETTLED STATUS IN HONG KONG ARE NOT BDTC'S BY BIRTH. THEY WILL NOT THEREFORE HAVE HONG KONG BELONGER' STATUS AT BIRTH. BUT THERE ARE PROVISIONS UNDER THE BNA 1981 (SECTION 15(3) AND (4)) FOR SUCH CHILDREN TO HAVE AN ENTITLEMENT TO REGISTER AS BDTC'S IF:
(A)
(B)
WHILE THEY ARE MINORS EITHER PARENT BECOMES A BDTC OR SETTLED IN A DEPENDENT TERRITORY (SECTION 15(3)); OR
THE CHILDREN HAVE IN THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF THEIR LIVES BEEN ABSENT FROM HONG KONG FOR NOT MORE THAN 90 DAYS IN EACH OF THE TEN YEARS AND APPLICATIONS FOR THEIR REGISTRATION AS BDTC'S ARE SUBMITTED AFTER THEY REACHED THE AGE OF TEN YEARS (SECTION 15(4)).
EXPLANATORY LEAFLETS ON THESE PROVISIONS FOR CHILDREN BORN HONG KONG ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 1983 TO REGISTER AS BDTC'S ARE AVAILABLE AT ALL BIRTHS REGISTRIES OF THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT. ENQUIRIES ON THIS QUESTION MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE CHIEF IMMIGRATION OFFICER (BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES) ON TELEPHONE NO. 3-7328513.
DATE OF CREATION OF BN(0) STATUS
THE UK GOVERNMENT INTEND TO CREATE THE BN(0) STATUS WITH EFFECT FROM JULY 1, 1987 IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE PRESENT PRACTICE OF ISSUING PASSPORTS VALID FOR TEN YEARS. IF BN(0) PASSPORTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE WITH EFFECT FROM JULY 1, 1987, THERE WOULD BE NO ALTERNATIVE TO ISSUING HONG KONG BDTC'S, WITH EFFECT FROM JULY 1, 1987, WITH BRITISH PASSPORTS WITH A PROGRESSIVELY SHORTER PERIOD OF VALIDITY.
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HONG KONG BDTC'S MAY APPLY FOR BN(0) PASSPORTS AS FROM JULY 1, 1987, IF THEY SO WISH, BUT THEY MAY HOLD EITHER BN(0) OR BDTC PASSPORTS. ONCE HONG KONG BDTC'S HAVE ACQUIRED BN(0) STATUS ON APPLYING FOR BN(0) PASSPORTS, THEY WILL HOLD BN(0) STATUS CONCURRENTLY WITH BDTC STATUS UNTIL JUNE 30, 1997. UNLESS THEY RENOUNCE OR ARE DEPRIVED OF THE IR BDTC STATUS BEFORE JUNE 30, 1997.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR ISSUE OF BN(0) PASSPORTS
BN(0) PASSPORTS WILL BE ISSUED IN HONG KONG IN THE NAME OF THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY. THIS WILL ENABLE THE PASSPORTS TO CONTINUE IN THE SAME FORM AFTER JULY 1, 1997 AS BEFORE.
/IT WILL