XN000022-1993-07-22 — Page 5

THURSDAY, JULY 22, 1993

PHASED PROGRAMME TO APPLY FOR BN (0) PASSPORTS

THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (THURSDAY) THE DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PHASED PROGRAMME FOR ELIGIBLE PERSONS TO APPLY FOR BN(0) PASSPORTS.

IN ORDER TO ENSURE ALL HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS (BDTCS) WHO WISH TO CONTINUE TO TRAVEL ON BRITISH. PASSPORTS BEYOND 1997 WILL RECEIVE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) (BN(0)) PASSPORTS BEFORE JULY 1, 1997, THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT HAD ON JULY 20, THIS YEAR APPROVED THE HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) (AMENDMENT) ORDER 1993 WHICH IMPOSES CUT-OFF DATES FOR BN (0) PASSPORT APPLICATIONS ACCORDING TO AGE GROUPS.

THE CUT-OFF DATES AS

FOLLOWS:

SPECIFIED

IN THE 1993 ORDER

ARE AS

PHASE

YEAR OF BIRTH

OF BDTCS

FINAL DATE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS

1

1967 TO 1971

2

1962 TO 1966

3

1957 TO 1961

1947 TO 1956

5

PRIOR TO 1947

6

1972 TO 1976

7

1977 TO 1981

8

1982 TO 1986

9

1987 TO 1991

10

1992 TO 1995

11

1996

12

1997 (BEFORE JULY 1)

THE

OCTOBER 30, 1993 MARCH 31, 1994 AUGUST 31, 1994 FEBRUARY 28, 1995 JUNE 30, 1995 OCTOBER 31, 1995 MARCH 30, 1996 JUNE 29, 1996

SEPTEMBER 30, 1996

DECEMBER 31 1996

+

MARCH 31, 1997

SEPTEMBER 30, 1997

1967 AND 1971 WHO

BELONG TO

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS BORN BETWEEN FIRST PHASE MUST SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 30, THIS YEAR.

ONLY IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WILL AN APPLICATION MADE AFTER THE RELEVANT FINAL DATE BE ACCEPTED.

THOSE WHO DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE RELEVANT CUT-OFF DATES WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TRAVEL ON BRITISH PASSPORTS BEYOND 1997.

TO SAVE TIME IN QUEUING UP AT IMMIGRATION OFFICES, ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS ARE ADVISED TO SEND IN THEIR APPLICATIONS BY POST OR USE OF THE DROP-IN BOX SERVICE.

DROP-IN BOXES ARE INSTALLED AT THE IMMIGRATION AND BRANCH OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.

MAKE

HEADQUARTERS

IDENTITY CARDS, WHO

ONLY BDTCS WHO ARE NOT HOLDING PERMANENT HAVE LOST THEIR PREVIOUS PASSPORTS, OR WHO NEED THE PASSPORT FOR URGENT TRAVEL SHOULD APPLY IN PERSON. THOSE ALREADY HOLDING BN(0) PASSPORTS NEED NOT APPLY AGAIN.

HONG KONG