XN000022-1982-12-08 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1982

IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY BILLS

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FROM JANUARY 1, 1983, SUBJECT TO ENACTMENT OF THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) (NO, 2) BILL 1982, NO ONE WILL BECOME A BELONGER UNLESS HE IS OR BECOMES A BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN BY CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRE SON TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR JEAFFRESON, IN INTRODUCING THE BILL, SAID THIS WOULD MEAN THAT CHILDREN BORN IN HONG KONG FROM JANUARY 1 NEXT YEAR WOULD NOT BE BELONGERS UNLESS AT LEAST ONE PARENT WAS A BELONGER OR WAS SETTLED HERE.

+IN THIS CONTEXT 'SETTLED' MEANS ORDINARILY RESIDENT AND NOT SUBJECT TO ANY RESTRICTION ON THE PERIOD FOR WHICH HE OR SHE MAY REMAIN IN HONG KONG, HE EXPLAINED.

MR JEAFFRESON ALSO SAID THIS WOULD MEAN THAT COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS MARRYING BELONGERS ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1 NEXT YEAR WOULD NOT BE BELONGERS AUTOMATICALLY UNLESS THEY WERE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.

+THE RATIONALE FOR THESE PROPOSALS IS THAT, PARTICULARLY HAVING REGARD TO HONG KONG'S ALREADY OVER-CROWDED STATE, IT IS ENTIRELY LOGICAL TO LIMIT BELONGERSHIP AND THUS THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG TO THOSE PERSONS WHO WILL BE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS BY CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG,+ HẾ SAID.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE BILL WOULD PROVIDE THAT ANYONE BECOMING A BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN BY CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG, FOR EXAMPLE BY BIRTH TO A BELONGER OR A SETTLED PARENT, OR BY REGISTRATION OR NATURALISATION IN HONG KONG, WOULD AUTOMATICALLY ACQUIRE THE STATUS OF BELONGER, HE CONTINUED.

MR JEAFFRESON SAID THE OVERALL EFFECT OF THESE PROVISIONS WOULD BE THAT FEWER PEOPLE WOULD QUALIFY AS BELONGERS FROM JANUARY 1, 1983.

+BUT NO ONE WHO IS A BELONGER AT 31ST DECEMBER THIS YEAR WILL LOSE THAT STATUS,+ HE POINTED OUT.

OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE BILL WOULD MEAN THAT THE FOREIGN WIVES AND FOREIGN CHILDREN OF BRITISH CITIZENS WOULD NOT BE ACCORDED THE STATUS OF BRITISH CITIZEN UNDER THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE UNLESS THEY THEMSELVES HAD BEEN NATURALISED OR REGISTERED AS BRITISH CITIZENS.

IN INTRODUCING IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) (NO. 3) BILL 1982, MR JEAFFRESON EXPLAINED THE MAIN OBJECT WAS TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THE IMMIGRATION CONTROL OF NON-BELONGER CHILDREN BORN IN HONG KONG AFTER DECEMBER 31 THIS YEAR.

+THE COMBINED EFFECT OF THIS BILL AND THE EXISTING PROVISIONS OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE WILL BE TO ACCORD THE CHILDREN CONCERNED, INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CHILDREN OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, THE SAME IMMIGRATION STATUS AS THAT OF THEIR PARENTS,+ HE SAID.

/IN PRACTICAL