TNAG-0902-FCO40-1112-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 92

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4. WE ARE NOT SURE HOW THE PROPOSED REGISTRATION SYSTEM WILL WORK. WE FIND THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT VERY AWARE OF NATIONALITY COMPLICATIONS AND WE FEAR THAT PARENTS WILL FORGET TO REGISTER THEIR CHILDREN IN THE UK THREE YEARS AFTER THEIR RETURN THERE. CENERALLY PEOPLE WILL NOT APPRECIATE THESE PROBLEMS UNTIL THE THIRD CENERATION ENCOUNTERS DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING A UK PASSPORT,

BY WHICH TIME THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD HAVE FULFILLED THE REGISTRATION PROCEDURES MAY DE DEAD. WILL THERE BE ANY WAY FOR SUCH PEOPLE TO RESOLVE THEIR NATIONALITY DIFFICULTIES ?

5. IN VIEW OF THE INCREASED MOBILITY OF FAMILIES IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A CHILD OF A UK CITIZEN BY DESCENT WILL HIMSELF BE BORN IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY WHOSE NATIONALITY HE IS NOT ABLE TO OBTAIN (EG INDONESIA). WILL IT BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE PROVISIONS TO AVOID THE CHILD BEING STATELESS ?

WE REALISE THAT THE POLICY IS STILL VERY MUCH AT THE DISCUSSION STAGE BUT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LARGE NUMBER OF EXPATRIATE EMPLOYEES OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE EVEN LARGER NUMBER OF EXPATRIATES EMPLOYED BY BRITISH COMPANIES IN HONG KONG (VERY FEW OF WHOM ARE SETTLED IN HONG KONG) AND WILL BE VERY GRATEFUL, FOR ANY REASSURANCE THAT YOU CAN GIVE US THAT THEIR INTERESTS WILL NOT BE OVERLOOKED. IS IT INTENDED THAT ALL UK CITIZENS, EXCEPT

THOSE WHO HAVE IT BY DESCENT, WILL BE ABLE TO TRANSMIT THEIR CITIZENSHIP AT LEAST ONE GENERATION ?

7. WE WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE CLARIFICATION OF THE TRANSITONAL ARRANGEMENTS ENVISAGED FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSALS. FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD THERE BE ANY CHANGE IN THE STATUS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY CITIZENS OF UNITED KINGDOM AND COLONIES WITH THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN UNITED KINGDOM ?

MACLEHOSE

FILES

NTD

HKOG D

MR F199

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

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