b)
Method of acquisition
5.
The requirement to have obtained a BN(0) passport before
1 July 1997 made it impossible to provide for the automatic
acquisition of BN (0) status on that date. Firstly, because
passports flow from nationality, and cannot therefore be issued
before the nationality in question has been obtained; and
secondly because, uniquely, the holding of BN (0) status and a BN (C
passport are indivisible. In addition, it was decided that acquisition of BN(0) status should be an act of election, rather
than be thrust willy-nilly on anyone. But since eligibility for
BN(0) status depends only on being a Hong Kong BDTC, all those
eligible are by definition entitled to hold the new status.
6.
In order to fit in with the way in which our citizenship
has for many years been acquired on entitlement, it is intended
that the method of acquisition should be formally termed
"registration".
c)
Entitlement to hold a BN (0) passport
7.
The terms of the UK Memorandum quite clearly link the new status with the passport. Furthermore, the two are linked in suc
a way that denial of the passport would effectively amount to
denial of BN(0) status, which itself is an entitlement. The information required to establish eligibility for a BN (0) passpor
will therefore be the same as that required to establish
eligibility for the status. Since BN(0) status and BN(0) passpor go together, registration and issue of passports is' therefore
intended to be part of the same process.
8.
Article 4(2) reflects this unique link by giving BN (0)s
an entitlement to hold BN (0) passports.
9.
Article 4(3) provides for the loss of BN (0) status at the same time as the loss of BDTC status by renunciation or deprivation before July 1997. It accords with the terms of the United Kingdom Memorandum. In order to be eligible to acquire BN(0) status a person must be a British Dependent Territories citizen on 30 June 1997. A person who acquires BN (0) status and
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