TNAG-1379-FCO40-1827-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-Hong-Kong-Bill-1985 — Page 180

CONFIDENTIAL

PASSPORTS

A number of your Lordships have asked about the issue of

No decision has yet been taken on the

BN (O) passports.

date of the issue of the new passports, but it is intended

that they should be introduced long before 1997. At the

same time BDTC status will remain up to 30 June 1997.

There will therefore be a period in which BDTC and BN (O)

status will be held concurrently

"

•

The Government have undertaken to make every effort to

explain the new arrangements to third countries. This will

begin after the enactment of the Order in Council and before the issue of BN (O) passports.

The Government will be discussing with the Chinese

Government the wording of a statement to be included in

BN(O) passports concerning right of abode in Hong Kong. As

laid down in Section XIV of Annex I we shall after 1997 be

able to state that the holder of the passport holds a

permanent SAR identity card which is evidence of his right

of abode in the SAR.

It is proposed that BN (O) passport holders will have the

same entitlement to enter and leave the UK as enjoyed at present by BDTC passport holders. They may come to visit or study without any prior formalities. Certain categories, primarily those coming with a view to

CONFIDENTIAL

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