CONFIDENTIAL
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
HKK 040/428
16 JAN 1985
Telephone 01- 233 4439
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ват
JCC Chan Esq OBE
Deputy Secretary (General Duties) Government Secretariat
HONG KONG
Your reference
Our reference
HKK 040/4
Date
18 January 1985
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NATIONALITY ; PASSPORT MATTERS
1. We have been in touch with Home Office officials to seek their comments on the views expressed by Unofficials, both in EXCO and during their visit to London in December 1984, on the timing of the issue of the new-style British passports. I attach a copy of a letter I have received from Nicholson of the Passport Department of the Home Office and should be grateful for your comments on it.
2. It is our impression that the views of Unofficials have now somewhat softened, at least to the point that they accept that those eligible for the new passports should have the option to acquire them well before 1997. A fourth variant, therefore in paragraph 4 of Nicholson's letter would be to issue BN (0) passports on the usual 10-year
validity to those who want them, and BDTC passports valid only until 30 June 1997 to those who want them. We tend to agree that we should avoid 2 valid passports being issued to anyone.
HKK04083. My other initial comments on the points in the letter are:-
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(728)
a)
b)
d)
Paragraph 6. Establishing entitlement will be no more complicated than establishing entitlement to BDTC status, so I see no reason why overseas posts should not be able to cope.
Paragraph I think this is how we both now see the position. (Your telno 3795 of 1984 and paragraph 5 of FCO telno 2482 refer).
Paragraph 8. This seems sensible.
Paragraph 9.
(FCO telno 2504 of 1984 refers).
I think paragraph 64 of the White Paper was loosely drafted. We should clearly follow the UK memorandum, which permits spouses too to be included.
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