TNAG-1568-FCO40-2134-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 39

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PASSPORTS WILL CONTAIN AN ENDORSEMENT SHOWING THAT THE HOLDER HAS A

PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD AS EVIDENCE OF HIS RIGHT OF ABODE

(B) Q. HOW LONG WILL SAR RESIDENTS BE PERMITTED TO REMAIN

OUTSIDE THE SAR BEFORE LOSING RESIDENCE RIGHTS BOTH BEFORE AND

AFTER 1997? WILL DIFFERENT RULES APPLY TO THOSE RESIDENTS WHO

ARE PRC CITIZENS AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE NOT?

A. WE DON'T KNOW. THIS IS A MATTER ULTIMATELY FOR THE

PRC GOVERNMENT TO DECIDE ALTHOUGH WE EXPECT TO BE IN CONTACT WITH

THEM ON THIS POINT BEFORE 1997. IT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD HOWEVER

THAT AS THE SAR DOES NOT COME INTO EXISTENCE UNTIL 1 JULY 1997, ABSENCE FROM HONG KONG AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF RESIDENCE STATUS

BEFORE THAT DATE WILL BE SUBJECT TO HONG KONG LEGISLATION AND NOT

SAR LEGISLATION. AS ALL BN (0)S WILL RETAIN BDTC STATUS UNTIL 30

JUNE 1997 THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY RETAIN THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN

HONG KONG WHICH GOES WITH THE LATTER STATUS UNTIL THAT DATE.

AFTER THAT DATE THE CONTINUATION OF A PERSON'S RIGHT OF ABODE (IN

THE HONG KONG SAR) WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE CRITERIA LAID DOWN IN

SECTION XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION. ACCORDING TO

THIS SECTION THE CRITERIA FOR HAVING THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE

HONG KONG SAR ARE DIFFERENT FOR CHINESE NATIONALS AND NON-CHINESE

NATIONALS BUT WE DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE CRITERIA FOR LOSS OF

RIGHT OF ABODEWILL BE DIFFERENT ALSO. BUT IN ANY EVENT WHATEVER

THE CRITERIA FOR LOSS OF RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE HONG KONG SAR WILL

BE, IT MUST BE CONTINGENT UPON A PERSON HAVING THE RIGHT TO

RESIDE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

(C) Q. WHAT STATUS WILL THE PRC PASSPORT AVAILABLE TO

SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION RESIDENTS HAVE AFTER 1997 WILL

THIS BE EQUIVALENT TO AN ORDINARY PRC PASSPORT?

A. THIS IS A MATTER FOR THE PRC AUTHORITIES. BUT

SECTION XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION STATES THAT THEY

WILL BE PASSPORTS OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THEY WILL BE VALID FOR ALL

STATES AND REGIONS AND SHALL RECORD THE HOLDER'S RIGHT TO RETURN

TO THE HONG KONG SAR. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT SECTION XIV OF

ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION STIPULATES THAT QUOTE ENTRY INTO

THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF PERSONS FROM OTHER

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CONFIDENTIAL