3. The future position of Hong Kong BDTC's was addressed in the two memoranda exchanged by HMG and the Chinese Government when the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed. The British memorandum recognised that no-one could continue to derive BDTC status from a connection with Hong Kong after it ceased to be a British dependent territory. Accordingly, the new status of British National (Overseas) (BN(0)) was created under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Order 1986. This status can only be acquired before 1 July 1997 and is not transmissible to the holder's children thereafter. The Chinese memorandum states that "Hong Kong Chinese compatriots", whether or not they hold BDTC passports (and by extension BN (0) passports), are considered by the Chinese government to be Chinese nationals and will not be entitled to British consular protection in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or other parts of China after 30 June 1997.
Present position
4. There are now approximately 3.28 million British Dependent Territories citizens in Hong Kong. Some 890,000 of them hold BDTC passports and 550,000 still hod CUKC passports: the last of the CUKC passports will expire on 31 December 1992 and all BDTC passports will expire on or before 30 June 1997. About 60,000 hold British National (Overseas) passports, which are valid beyond that date and which refer to the holder's right of abode in Hong Kong.
5. BN(0) passports have been available since 1 July 1987. Since then only 18% of applications for Hong Kong British passports have been for BN (0) passports. Most people still express a preference for the BDTC passport, although the BN (0) passport carries exactly the same rights. The main reason for this seems to be concern about the effectiveness of BN (0) passports. Although no country has refused to accept the BN (0) passport, and no-one holding as BN(0) passport has been refused entry, there continue to be doubts in the minds of the public about whether the new passport will be as widely accepted as the old one:
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