TNAG-0660-FCO40-809-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1977 — Page 82

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Civic Privileges

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66.

An important aspect of citizenship is the privileges associated with it. In this country the common status of British subject held in our law not only by citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies but by all other Commonwealth citizens carries with it voting and other privileges. There are also special arrangements for citizens of the Irish Republic. Such privileges do not stem directly from the law of nationality and so are not dealt with in this document.

A BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP

TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

67%

The core of this status would be those who have ties with an existing dependency. The status might therefore be conferred in the first place on those citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies born, naturalised or registered in an existing dependency or whose fathers were so born, naturalised or registered. Some of these people might be eligible for British Citizenship too in one of the ways described in paragraphs 19-23; but in general only British Overseas Citizens would have a right of entry to a dependency so it is important that any British Citizen suitably connected with a dependency should hold British Overseas Citizenship as well in order to secure his right of entry there.

reasons.

68.

The transitional arrangements would also have to cover all other citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who do not become British Citizens. These hold their present citizenship for a variety of

Some have connections with the United Kingdom or existing dependencies, but of so remote a nature as not to bring them within the qualifications for British Citizenship, or those for British Overseas Citizenship suggested in paragraph 67. Most people in this group, however, would have acquired citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies through their links with a former dependency, and would have no links by birth or ancestry with either the United Kingdom or an existing dependency..

69. One other group of people eligible to hold British passports might also become British Overseas Citizens. These are British Protected Persons who are connected with former dependencies and who would not become British Citizens; nearly all of them would be living overseas.

70.

The creation of a British Overseas Citizenship with no right of entry into the United Kingdom would not affect the responsibility which the Government has assumed towards holders of United Kingdom passports from East Africa, and the special voucher scheme would continue.

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