TNAG-2639-FCO40-3831-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-nationality-dependants-1992 — Page 53

The Rt. Hon. Douglas Hurd

A' Ricketts, HD (in Haykay) For aduci forem

ups

PS/MrSoolad

c/o Dr C.H. Leong

1101, Central Building Pedder Street

Hong Kong

15 Hum (un tk.) 24 July 1992

(m.1tk.).

Home Office (Nationality office).

Secretary for Foreign & Commonwealth Office

c/o Governor's House

Hong Kong

RC

33. HKD 340/6.

18/7.

20/wis

ENTER

317 مل

Dear Sir

SPLIT FAMILIES UNDER THE

BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981

1

We are a group of over 100 British Citizen families with a Hong Kong origin desperately seeking to secure British Citizenship for our children (born before 1 January 1983 outside the UK) who are currently only eligible to apply for British Dependent Territories Citizen or British Nationality (Overseas) passports.

2 In June 1991, we have applied under Section (3)(i) of the British Nationality Act 1981 to seek the Home Secretary's discretion to register our dependent children as British citizens. Subsequent to our submission, several visits were made by Dr C.H. Leong, Legislative Councillor on our behalf, to the Home Office to explain our case personally to the Secretary of State. We were hopeful that after Dr Leong's visits our cases would be considered favourably before the General Election in April 1992. However, after submitting our application for more than a year since June 1991 we still have not heard from the Home Office and we are thus appealing to you both for your support and assistance to expedite our applications to correct the grievances and injustices caused by the British Nationality Act 1981.

The Background

3 Our group of parents are Hong Kong residents who had previously gone to the UK mostly as students in the 60's and 70's and went on to acquire British Citizenship by residence.

4

The majority of such parents settled back in Hong Kong well before 1 January 1983 (date of enforcement of the 1981 Act) and gave birth to children in Hong Kong. When the new law came into effect on 1 January 1983, children born after that date are eligible for British Citizenship while children born before that date are not. It is therefore not uncommon to find in many families with a mix of children born before and after 1 January 1983 in which case the older ones are British Dependent Territories Citizens and the younger ones are British Citizens.