TNAG-0980-FCO40-1199-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 9

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are not CUKCS immediately before the new Act comes into foce

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should not present difficulties in this respect since the

restriction of acquisiton of citizenship by descent would be

genrally limited to the first generation born overseas and

other methods of acquiring citizenship,(e.g. by virtue of

marriage) would be generally more restrictive than at present.

However, for the transition of provisions - that is, those

affecting people who are CUKCS immediately before the new Act

came into force would generally give citizenship of the

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British Dependent Territories (and British Citizenship) for

the first and second generation born overseas.

We believe

that the Immigration Ordinances of a few dependencies would

need to be amended to provide for this, but some OAGS at least

anticipate

have indicated that they do not accept problems on this score.

The subject might not have been of great significance had the

? Наше Government adopted the two citizenship proposals of the 1977

Green Paper (since there would then in any event have been

many British Overseas Citizens from former dependencies who

would not have had the right of abode in the UK or an existing

dependency), But having agreed, in response to considerable

pressure mainly from the dependencies, to establish a separate

and permanent citizenshin category for the dependencies. it

would conflict with one of the basic purposes of the new

that legislation if one of the permanent citizenship categories did

not give its citizens the right of abode in the territory from

which he derived that status. We hope that if this does

present difficulties locally you will be able to persuade those

concerned of the importance of making this provision to cater

for the people concerned.

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