WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1992
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APPLICATIONS FOR BN (0) PASSPORTS
IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS, AN IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN CONFIRMED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THE NEED FOR BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN (BDTC) PASSPORTS TO BE EXCHANGED FOR BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) (BN(O)) PASSPORTS WELL BEFORE 1997 IF THE HOLDERS WISHED TO HAVE BN(0) PASSPORTS.
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THERE WOULD BB SIGNIFICANT ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTIES IF PEOPLE LEAVE IT TOO LATE.
OF
THE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THAT IF THE PRESENT TAKE-UP RATE BN (0)S REMAINS UNCHANGED, TO AVOID A LARGE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS COMING IN AT THE SAME TIME CLOSE TO 1997. SOME SORT OF PHASED PROGRAMME SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS NEW IDENTITY CARD RE-ISSUE EXERCISE WOULD BE NECESSARY.
A SPOKESMAN REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT AS AGREED UNDER THE MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION, HONG KONG BDTCS WILL CEASE TO BE SUCH CITIZENS ON JULY 1, 1997, BUT THEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR BN (0) PASSPORTS SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO TRAVEL ON BRITISH PASSPORTS BEYOND 1997 IF THEY WANT TO.
NO NEW APPLICATION WILL BE POSSIBLE AFTER JUNE 30, 1997.
"OBVIOUSLY WE CANNOT SIT BACK AND WAIT FOR EVERYONE TO TURN UP
ON THAT DAY," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
APPLICANTS WILL
"EVEN THOUGH WE CAN ASSUME NOT ALL POTENTIAL APPLY FOR A BN(0) PASSPORT, IF TOO MANY APPLIED TOO CLOSE TO 1997, THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO COPE WITH THE RUSH.
"WE ARE THEREFORE CONSIDERING HOW BEST TO DEAL WITH WHAT COULD BE A MAJOR ADMINISTRATIVE UNDERTAKING."
THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT, UNLIKE THE NEW IDENTITY CARD RE- ISSUE EXERCISE, EVEN IF A PHASED PROGRAMME WERE BROUGHT IN, IT WOULD STILL BE ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY.
"NOBODY NEEDS TO TAKE UP A BN(0) PASSPORT AT NOT WANT TO. MANY PEOPLE DO NOT HOLD EITHER BDTC OR NOW.
"THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE A BN(0) PASSPORT NEED COME FORWARD.
ALL IF THEY DO BN (0) PASSPORTS
NOT OF COURSE
"BUT THOSE WHO WISH TO CONTINUE THE FACILITY OF THE BDTC WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO SO AFTER 1997 AND THEY SHOULD APPLY FOR A BN (0) EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER," HE SAID.
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