TNAG-2629-FCO40-3820-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-National-(Overseas)-1992 — Page 122

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1840

OF 090935Z JULY 92

RESTRICTED

TOP COPY

Q DIST?

007500

MDLIAN 8062

gh

YOUR TELNO 1051: BDTC PASSPORTS

P

PQ BY ALISTAIR DARLING MP.

1.

FIRST QUESTION (NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FOR NATURALISATION AS

BDTC'S):

1989

1990

1991

1992

(TO 30 JUNE)

RECEIVED

3,098

12,543

7,588

1,293

GRANTED

1,098

1,699

11,463

5,673

REFUSED

73

95

399

310

2.

SECOND QUESTION (NUMBER OF HKBDTC'S BECOMING BN (0)S):

1989

1990

1991

1992

APPLICATIONS 53,222

80,213

101,534

(TO 30 JUNE) 67,947

GRANTED

49,519

78.265

107,423

64,080

2.

PLEASE NOTE THAT, IN ONE YEAR, THE NUMBER OF BDTC NATURALISATION APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AND THE NUMBERS

APPROVED /REJECTED CANNOT DIRECTLY BE COMPARED. THIS IS BECAUSE THE PROCESSING TIME (NORMALLY ABOUT 18 MONTHS) CAN RESULT IN APPLICATIONS FROM ONE CALENDAR YEAR BEING FINALISED IN THE NEXT

YEAR OR EVEN THE YEAR AFTER THAT: E.G. AN APPLICATION IN EARLY 1989 MIGHT BE APPROVED IN 1990, AND ONE LATE 1989 MIGHT BE APPROVED IN 1991.

FORD

YYYY

PAGE

RESTRICTED

1

HKO 8481

13