TNAG-1377-FCO40-1825-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-Hong-Kong-Bill-1985 — Page 151

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Procedure for acquiring "new" form of British Nationality?

28. Details will be announced later. Arrangements will be made for

be replaced before 1 July 1997 by

BDTC

to passports pertaining to new status.

passports

HMG has let BDTCs down

29. No. All BDTCs by virtue of connection with Hong Kong will be eligible to retain British Nationality after 1997. Most Hong Kong residents become subject to immigration control under Commonwealth Immigration Act 1962. Position unchanged by British Nationality Act 1981 and agreement.

Benefits of New Status?

30.

Hong Kong BDTCS will

will be able to acquire new

new form of British

nationality that carries broadly same status as BDTC status except for transmission by descent. Holders of new status will be able

to

use British passports, be eligible for British consular protection

in third countries. They will be Commonwealth citizens and will have a right to registration as British citizens

on the same terms

as BDTCs. Clearly inappropriate to retain BDTC status when Hong Kong no longer a dependent territory.

Applications for British citizenship under section 4(5) of 1981 on the grounds of crown service in Hong Kong? 31. A number of [234] applications

this provision

to

are

the BNA

for British citizenship under

and consideration,

is not

it

currently under

possible

Each of them say at

outcome will be. rpesent what the is being carefully considered on its

own merits in the light of the

individual circumstances of each case. [Of the

the approximately 3

million Hong Kong BDTs no more than 250,000 are Crown Servants, and thus eligible to apply under section 4(5).]

No consular protection for former Hong Kong BDTCs in the SAR or

other parts of China?

32.

It is a standard international practice that one state cannot

provide consular protection for persons whom another stat considers to be its nationals when they are within the borders of that state. After 1 July 1997, Hong Kong will be part of the People's Republic

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