for five years at the time of application. Absences of 450 days in the qualifying period of five years, including up to 90 days in the year succeeding the application, are allowed and there is discretion in special circumstances to allow longer periods of absence. However applicants are required to be in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the period of five years ending with their application unless they are settled here immediately before the commencement of the Act on 1st January 1983.
As explained in the leaflet the Home Secretary has discretion, in special circumstances, to register an applicant who has been in Crown Service under the government of a dependent territory or who has been a member of a body established by law in a dependent territory to which appointments are made by or on behalf of the Crown. Applications under this section must be made to the Governor of the dependency concerned. If therefore the businessman in question thinks he might qualify on these grounds he should in the first instance write to the Governor of Hong Kong.
As regards the question of the difficulties that have arisen on passports issued in Hong Kong the government have decided that the word 'British' will be inserted in all British Dependent' Territory Citizen passports, as requested by Hong Kong. This will be followed by the words 'British Dependent Territories Citizen', and the name of the Territory. This change was announced in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong by the Chief Secretary on 24th November.
(THE LORD ELTON)
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.