TNAG-0660-FCO40-809-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1977 — Page 209

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nat ality which will for example have the effect of denying a British immigrant in Australia the right to retain British Citizenship on acquiring Australian Citizenship. While the proposals are likely to be well received by the majority of British people resident in Britain, they will be ill received by many United Kingdom nationals overseas

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received with

ام استفاه معاصمه

and regarded with suspicion by some Commonwealth Governments at least indifferenc

2. Commonwealth and Colonial Governments as well as groups of United Kingdom nationals overseas may suspect that the true motive of the British Government in making proposals to change the status of many United Kingdom nationals out- side Britain will be in order to diminish HMG's respons- ibility in international law for those who will become British Overseas Citizens, both in matters of consular protection and admission for settlement in this country. The proclaimed object of the change is to make is possible to align our immigration law and rules on citizenship and to dispense with the distinction between classes of United Kingdom nationals based on "patriality". Many overseas will however interpret the proposed changes as designed to perpetuate two classes of citizens, the one being first- class, and the other being second-class. Although very few of those United Kingdom nationals who will become British Overseas Citizens now possess the right of entry and residence in this country, there is almost certain to be widespread apprehension among overseas United Kingdom nationals that the proposals will take away from them supposed present rights regarding settlement in the United Kingdom or at least the chance of favourable consideration by HMG of applications for permission to settle. Groundless fears will therefore be widespread in the minds of large numbers of United Kingdom nationals overseas and, unless these misapprehensions are dispelled by timely explanation by our posts overseas, there is bound to be increased pressure on the United Kingdom's immigration controls by those families determined to get into this country before, as they fear, the barriers.come down. Some Commonwealth Governments might also be tempted to apply increased pressure on United Kingdom nationals to leave for the same reason.

in much of the world,

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