TNAG-1189-FCO40-1491-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 12

In either case it is envisaged that the discretion would be exercised sparingly, ie it will not be common for citizenship to be given on

these grounds as there is no question of this being a regular 'reward'

for such persons.

Personal connections with the United Kingdom will

be a factor but the main consideration will be that the person concerned

has rendered such service as will have benefited the United Kingdom as

well as a dependency.

(d) The guide to the application form B advises people who think

they may qualify for registration under section 4(5) to write in the first instance,stating their case, to the Governor of the relevant dependency. Applications for registration under this rovision must be made to the Governor of the dependent terditory concerned (se. Regulation 4(2) of the B, N, (General) Regulations 1982) who will be ex ected to give his views upon them Lerore forwarding them to the Home Office for final decision. Any applications that are sent direct to the Home Office without having been seen by the Governor of the dugentency concerned, should be referred to him for his cbservations. It is expected that successful applications vill be mare but each case should be considered on its merits.

!

¦

i

6.

Children

(a)

Provision is made on the application form for the inclusion

by an adult applicant of any (minor) children he or she

wishes to be registered as British citizens.

(b) There is general provision in section 3(1) (equivalent to

section 7(2) of the BNA 1948) for the registration of any minor as a British citizen but the 1981 Act contains a

number of other provisions, most of which are entitlements, whereby minor and (in some cases) adult children may acquire British citizenship by registration. Care must therefore be taken to ensure that children included in a parent's

application are given the benefit of any entitlement (including registration under section 4) rather than be granted citizenship at

discretion under section 3(1)

where such registration would confer British citizenship by descent (see s.14(1)(c)). The possibility of automatic

laims to British citizenship should also not be overlooked. (c) The following points are of particular relevance:

whether the child was born before or after commencement; the age of the child;

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

the child's place of birth;

(iv)

the child's current nationality or citizenship;