TNAG-2932-FCO40-4207-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-National-(Overseas)-1993 — Page 103

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BRITISH NATIONALITY/HONG KONG

Registration Programme for British Nationals (Overseas)

1. The Hong Kong (British Nationality) (Amendment) Order 1993 is one of two Orders in Council relating to British

nationality in Hong Kong which the Home Office expect to present together to Parliament later this month.

(the other makes adjustments to the second phase of the Selection Scheme set up under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990 which

will have the effect of ensuring that all 50,000 places are

taken up by enabling the transfer of unused places between the

four different classes).

2. The Order will prescribe cut-off dates (by age group) for

the acquisition of British National (Overseas) (BNO) status, which will replace that of British Dependent Territory Citizens

(BDTC) after 1997. The first cut-off date (for 22-26 year

olds) would come into effect in the Autumn and deadlines would

extend up until the end of 1996 with special arrangements for

children born in 1997. The Governor would have discretion to

accept late applications under certain circumstances (which are

not spelled out in the Order).

3.

We cannot be sure, but possibly as many as 3 million may

chose to register as BN (0)s before 1 July 1997. Under 500,000

have applied to date. It would be impossible for HKG to deal

with a rush of applications towards the 1997 deadline. Ministers agreed in principle last summer that there should be

a phased scheme for registering BN (0) s so as to avoid a last

minute rush (and agreed in February that the Order in Council

should be drafted and that the Home Office should aim to lay it

before Parliament by the end of May.)

status.BRIEFS.NH/JRB

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