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"The holder of this passport has Hong Kong permanent
identity card No. (the number will be entered)
which states that the holder has the right of abode
in Hong Kong".
We expect to reach final agreement on this and other related matters at the next meeting of the Sino-British Joint Liaison
Group in March.
The wording of this endorsement is in line with Section XIV of
Annex I to the Joint Declaration. It is a clear and inequivoca statement. The Government is confident that the endorsement will effectively guarantee that BN (0)s will be able to return to Hong Kong, and that as it will satisfy Immigration Officers in third countries, BN (0)s will not therefore need to carry
their identity cards with them when they travel.
I believe this is likely to be the most satisfactory and reliable way of ensuring that the new passport is recognised and understood in other countries. I appreciate the concern felt in Hong Kong which has led Members of the Legislative Council to propose an endorsement in the passport to show that the holder does not require entry clearance in the United Kingdom. It is of course a fact that no visas are required for holders of BDTC passports to visit the
United Kingdom. But entry clearance is a facility available to those coming to this country who wish to assure their entry before they set off and it would be wrong to discourage the use of this facility. There is another important point to be made. It is a fundamental part of our system
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