TNAG-2630-FCO40-3821-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-National-(Overseas)-1992 — Page 33

GOVERMENT HOUSE HONG KONG.

TUE 17 NOU 92 69:52

PG.66

5.

4

We estimate that some 3.3 million Hong Kong

BDTCs are or will be eligible for BN (0) status before

1 July 199701)

•

At present, there are some

of these,

1.7 million BDTC passports in circulation.

one million are due to expire in 1996/97. Most of

their holders will not seek renewal before then unless

obliged to do so.

useful to have details

6.

Some

So far, only about 0.3 million BDTCs have

obtained BN (0) passports. One reason for the slow rate

of uptake may be that people are unaware that HKBDTC

passports will cease to be valid in 1997. Another

reason is that, when BN (0) passports were first

introduced, some countries which accepted BDTC

passports were unfamiliar with the new documents.

Hong Kong travellers experienced difficulties and their

problems received a lot of press attention.

result, many people still believe that BN (0) passports

are 'inferior' to BDTC ones. This perception is

unfounded of the 70-plus territories/countries which

accept BDTCs without visas, only Austria and Mauritius

do not extend that privilege to BN (0)s.

the perception persists.

As a

Nevertheless,

Note (1) :

This figure includes 1.7 million BDTC

passport holders and 1.6 million

non-passport holders. They are all

potential registrants in the phased

registration programme,