GRS 1200
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
TELNO 963
OF 18044OZ OCTOBER 86
INFO PRIORITY HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO BRUSSELS, HKGO WASHINGTON
INFO PRIORITY HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO, FCO
OPY
ISTRY
Action Takei.
HKG/GT/135
INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) (BN(0))
PASSPORTS
RE: MIPT.
HONG KONG : BRITISH NATIONALS (OVERSEAS): FACILITATING TRAVEL TO THIRD COUNTRIES
HISTORY
DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE
GOVERNMENTS WHICH WERE CONCLUDED BY THE SIGNING OF THE SINO-
BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG ON 19 DECEMBER 1984, A MAJOR CONCERN EXPRESSED BY HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS (BDTCS) WAS THAT THEY MIGHT LOSE THEIR BRITISH NATIONALITY WHEN HONG KONG REVERTED TO CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY ON 1 JULY 1997. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THEREFORE NEGOTIATED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AN EXCHANGE OF MEMORAND, ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE EFFECT OF THE UK MEMORANDUM IS THAT HONG KONG BDTCS CAN ACQUIRE A NEW FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY WHICH THEY CAN RETAIN FOR LIFE: THEY
CAN USE BRITISH PASSPORTS SHOWING THEIR NEW STATUS AND WILL
QUALIFY FOR BRITISH CONSULAR PROTECTION IN THIRD COUNTRIES. IN ADDITION, UNDER SECTION XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION, AS RESIDENTS OF THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, THEY ARE GUARANTEED THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG AND FREEDOM OF TRAVEL (SEE PARAGRAPH 10 BELOW). THE HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986 HAS BEEN MADE TO ENABLE THE UNITED KINGDOM TO IMPLEMENT THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ASSOCIATED
UK MEMORANDUM.
LEGISLATION
2.
THE ORDER IN COUNCIL WAS DEBATED IN PARLIAMENT IN JANUARY
AND MAY 1986 AND FINALLY MADE ON 5 JUNE 1986.
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVER
REGISTRY
2 0 OCT 1986
/NATIONAL
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