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18.

Article 2 (3) provides that children born in

Hong Kong on or after 1 January 1983 shall not be

regarded as having a connection with Hong Kong if

their parents were only there temporarily, or if

neither or them was a Hong Kong BDTC. It conforms

with the way in which BDT citizenship is acquired at

birth under the British Nationality Act 1981. The

same provision cannot be made for persons born before

1983: prior to 1983, birth in Hong Kong was in itself

sufficient to confer citizenship of the United

Kingdom and Colonies, and thus to establish a clear

connection with Hong Kong irrespective of the

nationality or immigration status of the parents.

Loss of British Dependent Territories Citizenship

19.

Article 3 provides for those people

identified under article 2(1) as BDTCS by virtue of a

connection with Hong Kong to lose that citizenship on

1 July 1997. But it does not affect those persons

who can establish an independent route to BDT

citizenship by an exclusive connection with another

dependent territory.

BDT citizenship.

Such people will retain their