TNAG-2934-FCO40-4209-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-National-(Overseas)-1993 — Page 56

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 952

OF 111034Z JUNE 93

146

CONFIDENTIAL

HKD 3401

15 JUN 1993

153

151316

MDHIAN 4502

TOP COPY Q DIST?

RE YOUR TELNO 570 OF 9/6 : BN(0)

1. WE ENVISAGE THAT WE WILL BE RECEIVING SOME APPLICATIONS FROM THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES OF PERSONS:-

BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS REQUESTING FOR BN (0) PASSPORTS

BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS REQUESTING FOR BDTC PASSPORTS

ELIGIBLE PERSONS WHO DO NOT HOLD ANY PASSPORT AT PRESENT REQUESTING FOR BOTH THE BDTC AND BN (0) PASSPORTS.

2. DESPITE REFERENCE IN THE HOME OFFICE PRESS RELEASE TO RETENTION OF CURRENT PASSPORTS, GIVEN THAT THE AGREEMENT IS FOR CONCURRENT POSSESSION OF BOTH BDTC AND BN (0) PASSPORTS AND THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR ANY APPLICANTS REFERRED TO ABOVE TO RENDER THEMSELVES ELIGIBLE E.G., BY COMING INTO POSSESSION OF A BDTC PASSPORT IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, WE FEEL THAT WE SHOULD ENTERTAIN ALL REQUESTS FROM ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS SO AS TO AVOID REPETITION OF WORK AND BAD PUBLICITY. PLEASE CONFIRM THAT THIS IS ACCEPTABLE.

3. PLEASE ALSO CONFIRM THAT THE BN(0) PASSPORTS ISSUED UNDER THIS CONCESSION SHOULD BE VALID FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE. TO DO OTHERWISE WILL POSE QUITE SERIOUS OPERATIONAL DIFFICULTIES, NOT TO MENTION THE CONFUSION TO THE USERS AND RECIPIENT COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS THE NEED TO CHANGE THE FORMAT OF THE PASSPORT.

4. GIVEN THE VAST LOCAL INTEREST AND LARGE NUMBER OF ENQUIRIES RECEIVED, WE INTEND TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, PREFERABLY IMMEDIATELY. IT WOULD, HOWEVER, BE NECESSARY FOR OVERSEAS POSTS TO BEGIN ON THE SAME DATE. CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT THIS TELEGRAM AND YOUR AGREEMENT WITH IT, ASSUMING IT IS FORTHCOMING, CONSTITUTE THE DETAILS THE HOME SECRETARY MENTIONED WOULD BE SORTED OUT. WE DO NOT WISH TO SEEM TO CONFIRM SOME LEGCO

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