TNAG-2660-FCO40-3856-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Consulate-General-1992 — Page 91

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Immigration and Passport Work

5.

Currently Hong Kong Immigration Department (HKID)

undertake work in 2 broad categories for which the

Consulate General will be responsible after 1997:

(a) Nationality/Passport Matters.

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Applications for Naturalisation or Registration (and

for renunciation) as British Citizens, BDTCS, BN (0)s,

British Overseas Citizens and British Subjects;

Applications for passports for these forms of nationality and for British protected persons (BPPs);

Rendering consular assistance to BCs, BDTCS, BN (0)s,

BOCS, BSS and BPPS.

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HKID estimate that there will be some 3.4 million

BDTCS by 1997, all of whom will be eligible for BN (0) status. At present there are 1.98 million BDTC and

0.3 million BN (0) passport holders).

(b) Immigration Work

Handling entry applications to the UK and other

commonwealth countries.

In addition they are also responsible for processing

applications under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act

1990 (BNHKA), to provide British citizenship for 50,000 key personnel and their families. The processing of

applications for the first tranche of some 42,000 places in

the scheme should be completed by the end of 1993. The

processing of the second tranche of some 8,000 places will

take place between 1995 and 1997 (probably, though no dates

have been set).

6.

Operationally, it would be possible to transfer to the BTC the nationality/consular functions for all groups

apart from BDTCs and BN (0)s (no more than about 10,000

passport and about 40 consular cases per year).

already considered in 1988. The conclusion then was that

This was

JM1ACK/2

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