TNAG-2943-FCO40-4219-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 19

1993

11:38

B4 IND LIVERPOOL

44 051 336 3386

P.05

Lordships that a significant proportion of these British Overseas

citizens scattered throughout the world have no other citizenship

but this. There are likely to be more than 3 million people in

Hong Kong by 1997 with BN (0) status and the BN(0) passport is

accepted throughout the world.

BN(0) and BOC passports are not simply travel documents. Holders

of these passports do not need entry clearance for visits to the

United Kingdom. They also have an entitlement to registration

as British citizens provided that they have completed five years'

residence in the United Kingdom and have achieved settled status.

passports

confer-British consular-protection.

Those

worldwide.

also

This is a point I wish to emphasise because it appears not to be

generally understood. These passports will confer British

consular protection in the Hong Kong special administrative

region, as it will be known, after 1997 providing (and

underline this point) the holders are not Chinese nationals as

If they are Chinese nationals as well as British, the

"Master Nationality" rule comes into play and the British

well.

subsidiary a

status.

This is

a

I

nationality has

rule of

international law under which a state may not afford diplomatic

protection

to

one of its nationals against a state whose

nationality such a person also possesses.

strictly speaking convect

In terms, therefore, of ability to travel, diplomatic protection

and entitlement to British citizenship after fulfilling the UK

4