TNAG-2198-FCO40-3152-Hong-Kong-nationality-spouses-and-widows-of-British-expatria-1990 — Page 79

of movement to people with valid travel documents.

Having said this, we fully appreciate the point which is

frequently made about the possibility of the spouse of a British

citizen being stranded in Hong Kong in the event of the British

partner's death. With this in mind, the Home Secretary gave an assurance during the Second Reading of the British Nationality

(Hong Kong) Bill that the widow or widower of a British citizen

resident in Hong Kong at the time of his or her death would be

allowed to

to settle in the United Kingdom at any time, either

before or after 1997, as if coming here as the spouse of a

British citizen. To benefit from this assurance, the widow or

widower must still be resident in Hong Kong and not have

remarried. The assurance was originally limited to spouses who did not themselves have citizenship of a third country. However

in the light of representations from the Concerned British

Expatriates Society and others, the Home Secretary has now

decided to extend the assurance so that it applies to all widows

and widowers of British citizens resident in Hong Kong at the time of their death, regardless of nationality, provided only that he or she has not remarried and is still resident in Hong Kong. We believe that this provides the spouses of British citizens resident in Hong Kong with a very significant safety net in the event of the British partner's death.

We do also understand the expatriates' concern that their spouses should be able to obtain some evidence of their status and an assurance that if they decided to come to the United Kingdom an application for the necessary entry clearance would be processed speedily. Accordingly, we are making arrangements whereby the spouse of a British citizen resident in Hong Kong may approach the Hong Kong Immigration Department who act for us in entry clearance matters with evidence of the marriage. The details

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will be noted in a register of non-British citizen spouses of British citizens and the spouse will be given a formal letter issued on the Home Secretary's behalf

behalf confirming

confirming that the

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