TNAG-2936-FCO40-4211-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-National-(Overseas)-1993 — Page 140

23-SEP-1993

15:12

FOO N.T.C.D. LONDON

་

DRAFT TELEGRAM

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO OF 000000ZSEPT93

CONFIDENTIAL

071 270 4064

P.02

YOUR TELNO 1420: BDTCS/BN (0) PASSPORT ARRANGEMENTS FOR BRITISH

CITIZENS

1.

The reopening of this subject has prompted us to examine our decision that the endorsement of BC passports be simplified (paragraph 2 of our telno 767 refers). The previously proposed endorsement contained in Morris's letter of 15 June to Mrs Chow

and in paragraph 5 of FCO telno 154 to Abidjan to the effect that quote the holder of this passport has Hong Kong permanent identity card number

which states that the holder has the

right of abode in Hong Kong. The holder is also a British National (overseas). unquote is merely a statement of fact which remains just as true before 30 June 1997 as after. The

observation does not state that the holder has the right of

abode in Hong Kong but merely states that he possesses a Hong Kong permanent identity card with this statement in it. We find it difficult to accept that such a statement of fact could cause a problem. Moreover, many persons who are issued with BN(0) passports, particularly those applying outside Hong Kong, may well have acquired a foreign nationality and on the basis of the criteria in paragraph 3 of your telno 1289 may not have the automatic right of abode in Hong Kong after 30 June 1997. That being the case we cannot follow the logic of continuing to put this observation in BN (0) passports and omitting it from BC passports. In the light of the foregoing, we do not believe that the instructions which have issued should be revised.

2. On your paragraph 3, Legal Advisers in both the FCO and the Home Office have accepted that a BC passport with a BN (0) observation constitutes quote such a British passport unquote under the Memorandum. We appreciate the difficulties in

NJM111J

CONFIDENTIAL