TNAG-1392-FCO40-1864-Future-of-Hong-Kong-briefing-for-meetings-and-visits-1985 — Page 139

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also give maximum time for the issuing authorities to

cope with applications for BN (0) passports, and for

third countries to grow accustomed to the new

nationality status.

Connections with Hong Kong

9.

Articles 2 and 3 should be read with the

provisions of paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Schedule to

the Hong Kong Act.

10.

Article 2 (1) defines BDTCS who are such by

virtue of a connection with Hong Kong and who, unless

they are also BDTCs by virtue of a separate

connection with another dependent territory, will

therefore lose their BDTC status on 1 July 1997, and

be entitled to acquire BN (O) status (see paragraph

below). It encompasses all the Hong Kong BDTCs

listed in Annex 2, although in fact the great

majority (about 3.18 million) of the roughly three

and a quarter million BDTCS in Hong Kong are BDTCs by

birth, and about 53,000 are BDTCs by registration or

naturalisation. The various categories covered by

article 2 (1) (a) to article 2 (1) (f) are dealt with in

paragraphs 11 to 16 below.