TNAG-1562-FCO40-2126-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 18

A

RESTRICTED

Dependent Territories citizens (BDTCs). Hong Kong

Department, Finance Department, Consular Department

and Legal Advisers agree.

BACKGROUND

3. In Dependent Territories generally the Governor

exercises the royal prerogative in the issue of passports.

The name of the dependent territory is printed on the

front cover of the passport, supplies are ordered direct

and paid for by the dependent territory government, and

it rests with that government both to set the passport

fee and to use the revenue as it sees fit. Although we

encourage the dependent territory governments to set

their passport fee at a level comparable to the

United Kingdom fee charged under our Consular Fees Order,

there is no compulsion on them to do so.

4. The fee for the issue of a passport currently charged

by the Government of Hong Kong under their Fees Ordinance

is HK$200, equivalent to about £20. They have informed

us that about 40% of this fee represents the administrative

costs of issuing the passport. The remaining 60%

represents revenue for the Hong Kong Government.

5.

The Secretary of State agreed to the recommendation

in my submission of 4 October 1985 that, because passports

issued in the name of the Governor of Hong Kong will not

be acceptable to the Chinese authorities after 30 June 1997

on account of their colonial implications, passports

issued in Hong Kong to BN(0)s will be in the same format

as those issued at our overseas posts.

They will be

RESTRICTED

2

/issued