TNAG-1384-FCO40-1832-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 36

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RESPECTIVE POSITIONS AS TO THE STATUS OF BRITISH DEPENDENT

TERRITORIES CITIZENS IN HONG KONG AND RELATED ISSUES (CMND 9352).

HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IN THEIR MEMORANDUM STATE THAT ALL THOSE

WHO ON 30 JUNE 1997 ARE BDTC BY VIRTUE OF A CONNECTION WITH HONG

KONG WILL CEASE TO HAVE THAT STATUS FROM 1 JULY 1997, BUT WILL BE

ELIGIBLE TO RETAIN AN APPROPRIATE STATUS WHICH WILL ENABLE THEM

TO CONTINUE TO USE BRITISH PASSPORTS, PROVIDED THAT THEY HOLD OR ARE INCLUDED IN SUCH A PASSPORT BEFORE 1 JULY 1997 (OR UP TO 31

DECEMBER 1997 IF BORN IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THAT YEAR).

ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE MADE FOR THE RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT OF

THE NEW PASSPORTS BY UNITED KINGDOM CONSULAR OFFICERS, AND FOR

THE HOLDERS OF SUCH PASSPORTS TO RECEIVE BRITISH CONSULAR

PROTECTION WHEN IN THIRD COUNTRIES. IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO

ACQUIRE BDT CITIZENSHIP ON OR AFTER 1 JULY 1997 BY VIRTUE OF A

CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN THEIR

MEMORANDUM STATE THAT ALL HONG KONG CHINESE COMPATRIOTS, WHETHER

THEY ARE HOLDERS OF THE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN

(BDTC) PASSPORT OR NOT, ARE CHINESE NATIONALS. BUT TAKING

ACCOUNT OF THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF HONG KONG AND ITS

REALITIES, THE COMPETENT AUTHORITIES OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL, FROM 1 JULY 1997, PERMIT CHINESE NATIONALS IN HONG KONG WHO

WERE PREVIOUSLY BDTC TO USE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY THE

UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRAVELLING TO OTHER

STATES AND REGIONS.

5.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

MEMORANDUM, THE NEW NATIONALITY STATUS WILL NOT BE TRANSMISSIBLE

TO ANY SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS AND ONLY THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE

ALREADY BDTCS BY VIRTUE OF A CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG ON 30 JUNE

1997 MAY RETAIN IT. IN ADDITION THE STATUS IN QUESTION WILL BE

HELD ONLY BY THOSE PEOPLE WHO BEFORE 1 JULY 1997

(OR UP TO 31 DECEMBER

1997 IF BORN IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THAT YEAR) WILL HAVE

ACQUIRED OR WHO ARE INCLUDED IN A PASSPORT APPROPRIATE TO THAT

STATUS.

6.

THE HONG KONG ACT SETS OUT THE FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH THE

ORDER IN COUNCIL WILL FIT. IT ALLOWS FOR PROVISION TO BE MADE BY

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