TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 103

as

CONFIDENTIAL

and the Associated States achieve full independence, the people who hold

Citizenship of the British Colonies solely by connection with those territories

will, unless they have close connections with other remaining colonies, lose

Citizenship of the British Colonies as part of an independence settlement for

which legislation is passed at Westminster. This would be in accordance

with what has been done on numerous occasions in the recent past when colonies have obtained independent status.

[705.

105. It will be possible for a person to be a Citizen of the British Colonies by connection with more than one colony, for example, he might acquire citizenship by birth in one, and by descent because his father was

born in another. The question of the right to settle in a particular colony is regulated in most colonies by immigration ordinances which are outside

the scope of this Paper. In many cases, the responsibility for immigration

rests with Ministers elected in the colonies. Anyone who is a Citizen

of the British Colonies by his connection with a colony will have the right

of abode in it.]]

106. A Citizen of the British Colonies will be eligible for a passport

igib and Colonies will couhrive to

isque parsprits with the describing him as such, with the name of the colony concerned on the cover

and on the title page.

107.

Citizenship of the British Colonies by Birth

108. It will be proposed in the Bill that citizenship shall be acquired by

all persons who are born in the territory of a colony with the same

exceptions as are proposed for British Citizenship in paragraph neither parent is in the colony free of immigration control7.

Citizenship by Descent

where

109. The proposal about citizenship by descent will be on broadly the same

lines as is proposed for British Citizenship,

that is

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