TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 39

CONFIDENTIAL

D.

BRITISH CITZENSHIP

PERMANENT ARRANGEMENTS

FOR ACQUISITION ETC

General Characteristics

37. As has been said above, British Citizenship will be the status of

people closely connected with the United Kingdom. It will confer on the

holder of it the right to enter and remain in the country without restriction.

In this way we should move towards equating that right with citizenship, and

so ending the confusion which has existed on this score since it first becɛ.me

necessary in 1962 to limit the right of entry of certain Commonwealth citizens

and Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies.

38. Apart from this, the Bill, by establishing a British Citizenship, will

make available a ready definition of those people who have a close connection with the United Kingdom. At present there is no satisfactory way of

defining which people 'belong' to the United Kingdom for international or

other purposes.

39. In framing the legislation the Government have been concerned that

applicants should demonstrate a real connection with the United Kingdom

and suitability for its citizenship. They do not think, for example, that

simply because a person has lived in the country for a set time he ought to

be able on that ground alone to claim our citizenship. Following the publica-

tion of the Green Paper some correspondents pressed for the re-introduction of

the entitlement, which Commonwealth citizens formerly had, to obtain citizen-

ship after living here for 5 years. The Government accept that after a

definite period people whose stay in the country is free of conditions ought

to be enabled to apply for our citzenship; but they think nonetheless that

applicants should be expected to demonstrate a real intention to throw in their

lot with this country.

40.

Some of the more important features of the proposed new British

Citizenship are dealt with in the following paragraphs.

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