12.
All eligible British
entitled to acquire BN (0)
registration. This is
of
Dependent
status.
Territories
citzens will be
by
Acquisition will be
consistent with the long-standing provision
those exercising an entitlement to
of the Memorandum, reflecting the
the new
in British nationality law for
citizenship. But the terms
particular needs of Hong Kong,
link its acquisition to the holding
BN (0) a
passport.
The passport,
the together with
central
register which will be maintained, will be evidence of
status. So Article 4 provides a clear entitlement to hold a BN (0)
passport. As the House will know, there is generally no entitlement
to hold British passports which are issued under the Royal
Prerogative. However the Order makes it clear that those affected entitled not only to BN (0) status but also to a passport showing
that status, in line with the UK Memorandum
associated with the
are
Joint Declaration.
13.
The
-
minimum.
We
formalities going with the registration will be kept to a envisage only that each person's particulars will be entered on a central register. Νο separate fee will be charged for
this. The detailed arrangements will be worked out with Hong Kong
between now and 1987, and it will be necessary to make regulation s
to govern these in the normal way under the British Nationality Act
1981.
F
14.
Article 6 sets out the Government's proposals for reducing
statelessness
This is
understandable interest.
most
•
care ful thought.
matter a
of
considerable importance
and
has given the matter the
The Order in Council gives all Hong Kong
The Government
BD TC s the right to register as
and during the
year
members
passage
BN (0) s, but during the debates last
of the
Hong Kong
British
Bill
Dependent
a
not
+
number of
Territories
ethnically Chinese, and their
were concerned that those
citizens in Hong Kong who we re
children, might be left stateless in 1997 because they would not be
Chinese as
regarded
nationals.
The Government
recognised
that
concern and gave a firm undertaking that no former Hong Kong British
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