TNAG-1193-FCO40-1495-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 87

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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHANGE IN PASSPORT DESCRIPTION

THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A CHANGE IN STATUS. THE DESCRIPTION

TOGETHER WITH THE DESCRIPTION 'BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

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CITIZEN FOLLOWED BY THE NAME OF THE TERRITORY, WHICH WILL APPEAR BELOW IT, SIMPLY DESCRIBES THE NATIONALITY AND THE CITIZENSHIP

OF THE PASSPORT HOLDER.

WHY WAS THE CHANGE MADE IF IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A CHANGE IN

STATUS? THE CHANGE REAFFIRMS THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO THE

DEPENDENT TERRITORIES INCLUDING HONG KONG. IT INDICATES THAT WE

ARE ENTITLED TO GIVE THE HOLDERS OF THE PASSPORTS CONSULAR

PROTECTION AND TO REPRESENT THEIR INTERESTS ABROAD.

DOES THE CHANGE HAVE IMMIGRATION IMPLICATIONS? THE CHANGE HAS NO IMMIGRATION IMPLICATIONS. PASSPORTS ISSUED TO BRITISH DEPENDENT

TERRITORIES CITIZENS LIKE THOSE ISSUED AT PRESENT TO CITIZENS OF

THE UNITED KINGDOM AND COLONIES WHO DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE WILL MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE HOLDER IS SUBJECT TO IMMIGRATION

CONTROL.

WILL NOT THE GOVERNMENT BE OBLIGED UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW TO ACCEPT BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS IF THEY WERE DEPORTED TO THIS COUNTRY? THERE IS NO INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT WHICH COULD COMPEL US TO ADMIT TO THIS COUNTRY BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

CITIZENS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO IMMIGRATION CONTROL.

WOULD NOT SEPARATE CITIZENSHIPS HAVE BEEN BETTER? THE GOVERNMENT CONCLUDED THAT SEPARATE CITIZENSHIPS OF THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WOULD NOT BE PRACTICABLE. IT WAS CONSIDERED RIGHT TO PROVIDE FOR COMPOSITE CITIZENSHIP IN ORDER TO SECURE UNIFORMITY FOR DEPENDENCIES AS A WHOLE HAVING REGARD TO THE FACT THAT MANY WERE, BY THEIR HISTORICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL, ECONOMIC AND OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES,

SUITED FOR SEPARATE CITIZENSHIP.

NOT

WOULD HMG ADMIT HONG KONG BDTCS IN THE EVENT OF A CHINESE TAKE- OVER OF HONG KONG? THAT IS A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION. THERE IS NO LIKELIHOOD OF IT HAPPENING, BUT THE SITUATION WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

WHAT OBLIGATION DOES HMG HAVE TO AN INDIVIDUAL BDTC PASSPORT HOLDER EXPELLED FROM A THIRD COUNTRY BUT WITHOUT THE MEANS TO RETURN TO HONG KONG? I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE PROVISIONS FOR RETURN TO

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