TNAG-2377-FCO40-3454-Hong-Kong-nationality-papers-received-by-Peter-Heap--British-1991 — Page 95

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Paper No. SC 6/91 Copy No.

STEERING COMMITTEE ON BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME

Personality Checks

PURPOSE

This paper informs members of the procedures and criteria for character checks. During the visit to Immigration Department on 10 January 1991, members asked about these procedures.

GOOD CHARACTER REQUIREMENT

2.

Section 6(2) of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990 provides that a person shall not be recommended for registration as a British citizen by the Governor or registered as such by the Secretary of State if the Governor or the Secretary of State has reason to believe that that person is not of good character. Accordingly, all applicants will be subject to character checks before their applications are submitted to the Governor for recommendation.

PROCEDURES

3.

The Immigration Department will start the checking process once the Steering Committee has advised that an applicant falls within the quota after the initial processing stage. The Department will prepare extracts of personal details of the applicant on computer tapes for the Criminal Records Bureau, Narcotics Bureau and Criminal Intelligence Bureau, and on personality check forms for the Special Branch and Independent Commission Against Corruption. The extracts will be despatched by special courier. For checks by the UK Security Service and the National Identification Bureau, details will be prepared on personality check forms and sent by secure fax. All agencies involved must notify the Immigration Department of their findings within 14 days.

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