TNAG-1564-FCO40-2129-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 41

UNCLASSIFIED

VB1A QC

IMMEDIATE

ZCZC

UNCLASSIFIED

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE NEW DELHI

TELNO GUIDANCE

OF 24100OZ APRIL 86

HONG KONG NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL

1.

A draft Order in Council made under the Hong Kong Act

1985 and providing for the future British nationality of British Dependent Territories Citizens in Hong Kong will be laid before Parliament in the next few days. You should not initiate

discussion of the subject but in response to enquiries you may

draw freely on the information in paragraphs 2-5 below.

LINE TO TAKE

2.

The draft Order was first published on 17 October 1985 and is intended to come into effect on 1 July 1987. It gives

effect to the nationality provisions of the United Kingdom memorandum associated with the Sino-British Joint Declaration on

the future of Hong Kong. The Order provides that all Hong Kong

British Dependent Territories Citizens (BDTCs) will lose that status on 1 July 1997 but that between 1 July 1987 and 1 July 1997 they will have the right to acquire a new form of British nationality to be called British National (Overseas) (BN (O)), to retain this status for Life and to hold be included in a

passport appropriate to the status.

HKD

MT HILL

3.

233 3722