TNAG-2715-FCO40-3921-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 22

BRITISH CITIZENSHIP FOR WIVES AND WIDOWS OF EX-SERVICEMEN

Why can't this small number of people be given British Citizenship ?

There is no scope under current legislation to grant British Citizenship to these people while they remain in Hong Kong. The immigration and nationality status of the wives and widows of former servicemen in Hong Kong was debated very fully during the passage of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990. Parliament decided not to exempt them from the residential requirements prescribed by the British Nationality Act 1981, but the Home Secretary gave assurances that these ladies would be welcome to enter the United Kingdom to settle at any time.

Could the residential requirements be reduced by the Home Secretary?

The Home Secretary has said that he would exercise discretion as generously as possible in the light of individual circumstances but not to such an extent that it emptied the residence requirements of all meaning.

brief.legco.BB

SLK