TNAG-2934-FCO40-4209-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-National-(Overseas)-1993 — Page 11

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CONCURRENT HOLDING OF BDTC AND BN (0) PASSPORTS

Background

On 9 June 1993, the Home Secretary announced that Hong Kong BDTC's may hold both a BDTC passport and a BN (0) passport until the former expires on 30 June 1997. This paper sets out details of the new policy.

Implementation Date

2.

The new policy will be implemented on 1 July 1993. From this date onwards, BDTC's who apply for BN (0) passports will not be required to give up their BDTC passports for cancellation.

Applicants with expired BDTC passports and Applicants who have not applied for a passport before

3.

These applicants may apply for a BDTC passport, which will be valid until 30 June 1997, as well as a BN(0) passport, which will be valid for 10 years, on payment of the prescribed fees.

Existing BN(0) Passport Holders

4.

Existing BN (0) passport holders who wish to acquire a BDTC passport, which will be valid until 30 June 7 1997, in addition to the BN (0) passport, may do so on

payment of the prescribed fee.

Validity Period of the BN(0) Passport

All BN(0) passports are valid from the date they are issued, The validity period is 10 years. There will be no post-dating of the BN (O) passport.

5.

Security Problems

6.

As explained to members earlier, concurrent holding of two passports will double the number of passports in circulation and increase the risks of loss, theft and tampering. To reduce these risks, the public will be advised to use only one of the two passports between now and 1997, preferrably the BN (0) passport, which is the one with a longer validity period and will be used in the longer term.