TNAG-1603-FCO40-2210-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-reports-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kon-1987 — Page 26

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13.

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Nationality and Passports

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Following debates in Parliament

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Hong Kong an

in

and consultation with the

Order

Council was made on

1986 5 June

Hong Kong Act 1985.

provides

This

people of

under the terms of the

for

persons who are British Dependent Territories citizens by virtue of

connection with Hong Kong to lose that status

to be entitled to acquire before that date a new

a

British

together

with

The Order also makes

It provides for any

as

National (Overseas),

recording that status.

against statelessness.

on 1 July 1997 but

status, to be known

a

British

passport

provision to guard

British Dependent

on 1 July 1997

The

Territories citizens who lose that status automatically to become British Overseas citizens if they have not acquired BN (0) status and if they would otherwise be stateless. children of former Hong Kong BDTCs born on or after that date will

be British Overseas citizens automatically at birth if

stateless. The grandchildren of former Hong Kong BDTCs

will be entitled to be registered

Overseas citizens i f

also

otherwise

born stateless.

-Paced 10)

British as

14.

The Order will come into effect on 1 July 1987. Passports

status of British National (Overseas) will be issued

the

bearing

from that date.

<Pa Lelio)

15.

During the

passage

of the

Order through Parliament Her

Majesty's Government took into careful consideration three specific

made requests

by the Legislative

passports of BN (0)s should contain

visas or entry certificates

Council

ITALI (

The

the that of Hong Kong:

to an endorsement

the effect that

the UK: not required for visits to were

that ex-World War II service veterans in Hong Kong should be granted British citizenship: and that ethnic minority (ie non-Chinese) BDTCs should also be granted British citizenship. Her Majesty's Government agreed to the passport endorsement request in full.

the majority of

270 or SO service veterans are not eligible under

the British Nationality Act 1981 for

as British registration

citizens. However the Government agreed to consider sympathetically applications from the 60 or so eligible for British citizenship and

to admitted

UK for

Her Majesty's Government

that

any

of

the 270

could

be

agreed settlement together with their dependants.

the

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