TNAG-1385-FCO40-1833-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 254

11.

However,

The underlying object of the Order is that those

persons defined as BDTCs by virtue of a connection with

Hong Kong should lose that status in 1997.

because of the way in which citizenship of the United

Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC) was acquired under the BNA

1948, and the way in which BDTC is acquired under the

BNA 1981, some people may have become BDTCs by virtue

not only of a connection with Hong Kong, but also by a

quite separate and independent connection with another

Munibis reperal that Dependent Territory. It would not be right for such

people to lose their BDTC in 1997, and they are protected

from loss by Article 3.

Registration as BN (0)s

12.

In order to fit in with the way in which our

citizenship has traditionally been acquired for many

years, Ministers agreed that acquisition of BN (0) status

should be by registration.

13. Hong Kong resisted this proposal for a long time.

They wanted the Order to refer simply to the acquisition

of BN (0) passports. They accepted the argument that

passports flow from nationality status and not the other

way round, but they argued that the term "registration"

was an emotive one, and likely to conjure up in the

minds of the Hong Kong public a lengthy administrative

process. We have been at pains to expain that the

registration process itself will be a formality; that

it will be an integral part of the passport issuing

process; and that it will amount to little more than

the entry of each persons details on a central record.

Furthermore there will be no charge for the registration

itself, but simply for the passport. Applicants will

apply simultaneously for BN (0) status and the passport

that goes with it. By this means the integrity of the

relationship between nationality and passports, and

consistency with the BNA are maintained. Hong Kong

have, somewhat reluctantly, now accepted

this.

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