TNAG-1406-FCO40-1881-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 66

passports of European Community Members States. The type of

passport which BN(0)s will receive depends on decisions to be taken

by Ministers and then, on the timing of the introduction of the new

passports:

a) Computerisation of Passport Issuing

We have already produced the prototype of a common EC

forinat/machine readable passport. A decision against

computerisation (the issue may not be resolved until mid

October) would mean that the passport could not be machine

readable and we would have to produce a new format

b) Differing formats for those who are UK Nationals for EC

Purposes and others includes BN (0)s who are not

1

At present UK Passport Offices and consular posts issue the same

!

passport to all British nationals; only the endorsements inside

distinguish between the various statuses. This will change so

that the passport to be issued to BN (0)s and others who are not

UK nationals for EC purposes, would if Ministers agree, be the

same as the common EC format save for the removal of 'European

Community' from the cover and the languages of the various

Member States from the inside. The passport like the EC format,

therefore, would be burgundy red, soft covered and of a smaller

size than the present document. On the cover would appear the

wording 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'

1