TNAG-1385-FCO40-1833-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 303

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RETAINED OR ACQUIRED ON OR AFTER 1 JULY 1997 BY VIRTUE OF A

CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG, AND WHEREBY BDTCS BY VIRTUE OF ANY

SUCH CONNECTION MAY BEFORE THAT DATE (OR UP TO 31 DECEMBER 1997 FOR PERSONS BORN IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THAT YEAR) ACQUIRE A

NEW FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY. THE HOLDERS OF THE NEW

NATIONALITY WILL BE KNOWN AS BRITISH NATIONALS (OVERSEAS) (BN(0)). THE ACT ALSO PROVIDES THAT SUCH AN ORDER MAY, INTER ALIA:

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PROVIDE THAT THE NEW STATUS MAY BE HELD ON OR AFTER 1

JULY 1997 ONLY BY PEOPLE WHO ARE BDTC ON 30 JUNE 1997.

MAKE PROVISION FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF STATELESSNESS: AND

MAKE SUCH OTHER CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISIONS AS MAY BE

NECESSARY FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE ORDER, INCLUDING PROVISIONS AMENDING THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981

AND ANY OTHER ENACTMENT.

THE ANNEXED DRAFT ORDER IN COUNCIL HAS BEEN PREPARED WITHIN THIS

FRAMEWORK.

7.

ONCE THE ORDER IN COUNCIL HAS BEEN FINALLY APPROVED BY

PARLIAMENT, ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE MADE FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE TO

BECOME BN (0)S TO APPLY FOR THAT STATUS IF THEY SO WISH TOGETHER

WITH THE PASSPORTS IN WHICH IT WILL BE RECORDED. THESE

ARRANGEMENTS ARE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE ORDER AND ARE BEING

CONSIDERED SEPARATELY BETWEEN HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE

GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG.

COMMENTARY ON THE PROVISIONS IN THE DRAFT ORDER

CITATION, COMMENCEMENT AND EXTENT.

8.

ARTICLE 1 SETS OUT THE TITLE AND COMMENCEMENT DATE OF THE ORDER AND ENSURES THAT IT FORMS PART OF THE LAW OF NORTHERN IRELAND, THE CHANNEL ISLANDS, THE ISLE OF MAN AND THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. COMMENCEMENT SHOULD BE NO LATER THAN 1 JULY 1987 IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE PRESENT FRACTICE OF ISSUING PASSPORTS WHICH HAVE A TEN-YEAR VALIDITY PERIOD (THOSE RECORDING ONLY BDTC STATUS COULD NOT BE MADE VALID BEYOND 30 JUNE 1997). THIS ARRANGEMENT WILL ALSO GIVE MAXIMUM TIME FOR THE ISSUING AUTHORITIES TO COPE WITH APPLICATIONS FOR BN (O) PASSPORTS, AND FOR THIRD COUNTRIES TO GROW ACCUSTOMED TO THE NEW NATIONALITY STATUS.

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