TNAG-2629-FCO40-3820-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-National-(Overseas)-1992 — Page 95

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

movement is also included in article 31 of China's Basic Law on Hong Kong. As you can see therefore your wife will not be subject to any exit controls after 1997 but will be free to leave Hong Kong at any time provided of course that she has the necessary travel documents.

If your wife is not already a

is not already a British Dependent

British Dependent Territories citizen, she may wish to consider applying to the Governor in Hong Kong for naturalisation if she has resided in the Colony for 5 years, is free of immigration time restrictions there and meets certain other statutory requirements.

As far as naturalisation as a British citizen is concerned, I am afraid that there is little I can add to the Home Secretary's letter. The enclosed leaflet BN7 explains the residence requirements in more details, however, the Home Secretary has discretion to waive more than the normally permitted number of days' absence during the 3 year "qualifying period", but he has no power to waive the residence requirements entirely. Special circumstances would have to exist before excess absences could be waived and it is not possible in advance of an actual application to say whether the Home Secretary would be prepared to use his discretion in an applicant's favour.

I hope you helpful.

find the

Yours sincerely

XXX

B HEBBLEWHITE

additional information in this letter

IB.2/JM

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