TNAG-1191-FCO40-1493-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 129

I

NATIONALITY LAW

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1.

The British Nationality Act 1981 is due to come into effect on 1 January 1983.

2.

Existing nationality law is contained in the British Nationality Acts 1948 - 1965. The unitary form of citizenship citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies prescribed by the 1948 Act is no longer realistic.

3.

The 1981 Act replaces citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies by three separate citizenships, British citizenship for those who have close links with the United Kingdom, British Dependent Territories citizenship for those who have close links with an existing dependent territory and British Overseas citizenship for those who do not acquire one of the other two citizenships on 1 January 1983.

4.

No-one who is now a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies will be left without a citizenship, and the Act

contains provisions which more than comply with the United Kingdom's obligations under the UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

5. The Act will not adversely affect the position under the immigration law of anyone who is lawfully settled in the United Kingdom. The special voucher scheme under which certain United Kingdom passport holders, originally from East Africa, may be admitted to the United Kingdom for settlement, will continue.

6. The Act was amended by the Government during its passage through Parliament to enable British citizens by registration, many of whom originate from Commonwealth countries, to continue to be able to transmit their citizenship to their children born

overseas.

17.

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