TNAG-1387-FCO40-1835-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1986 — Page 64

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Majesty's Government's established practice on the

issue of passports, he can only hold either a BN (0)

or a BDTC passport at any one time. Accordingly, if

he does not hold a BN (0) passport on 1 July 1997 he

will have no British nationality or British passport

unless he would otherwise be stateless. Furthermore

BDTC passports issued after 1 July 1987 will have

progressively shorter validity periods as 1997

approaches. The answer to Mr. Hilton Cheong-leen's

second question is that BN (O) passports will be valid

་

for ten years, in line with the normal validity

period of British passports.

As the process for

registration as a BN (0) will be an integral part of

the process for acquiring a BN (0) passport, there

will be no need for a BDTC separately to register as

a BN (O) once he has acquired a BN (0) passport.

My Hon. and learned friend Mr. Martin LEE is

not convinced that BDTCS should apply for a BN (0)

passport when it becomes available. There are two

main reasons why the BN (0) passport is being

introduced in 1987. The first is to provide an

alternative to the BDTC passport which, from that

time onwards will have a progressively shorter period

of validity. The second is to allow immigration