ENG-1993 — Page 477

POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION

The government, with the assistance of other governments, also sought to retain people in Hong Kong through various schemes, such as the British Nationality Selection Scheme and the United States' deferred immigrant visas scheme. The British Nationality Selec- tion Scheme, which began in December 1990, enables up to 50 000 persons and their dependants to acquire British citizenship without having to leave Hong Kong. The first phase of the scheme will end on January 1, 1994. By the end of 1993, a total of 96 811 persons, comprising 36 139 principal applicants and 60 672 dependants, were registered as British citizens under the scheme. The remaining places will be distributed in the second phase, which will begin on January 3, 1994. The special provision in the United States Immigration Act of 1990, which allows the deferred take-up of immigrant visas up to the end of 2001, would enable beneficiaries to have the confidence to continue to stay and work in Hong Kong.

Personal Documentation

During the year, 457 000 passports were issued, up 90 per cent from 1992. This total included 412 744 British National (Overseas) passports, compared to 150 123 in 1992. The sharp increase was partly attributable to the introduction of a worldwide phased programme for registration of the British National (Overseas) passport in July 1993. Eligible persons are called forward by age groups to apply for British National (Overseas) passports before specific cut-off dates. The aim of the programme is to ensure that all Hong Kong British Dependent Territories citizens who wish to obtain British National (Overseas) status are issued with such passports before 1997. At the end of 1993, 843 840 persons had been registered as British Nationals (Overseas). From July 1993, Hong Kong British Dependent Territories citizens are allowed to hold both valid British Dependent Territories Citizen and British National (Overseas) passports.

The demand for Certificates of Identity increased slightly by 2.4 per cent to 130 500. There was a decrease in the demand for re-entry permits, which accounted for 25 per cent of the 786 000 travel documents issued.

Following the completion of the Second Identity Card Re-issue Exercise in December 1991, all identity cards issued before July 1987 were declared invalid. There are now two types of new identity cards the Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card, which states that the holder has the right of abode in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Identity Card, which does not state that right. These identity cards will remain valid beyond July 1, 1997, until they are replaced by the future Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.

In 1993, 610 000 new identity cards were issued: 294 200 to new arrivals and persons who reached the age of 11 or 18, and 238 300 to persons who had lost or damaged their identity cards or whose identity cards required amendments.

Naturalisation

There was a continued surge in the number of applications for naturalisation. A total of 23 474 applications were received, a major increase from the 5 381 applications of 1992. The surge was partly attributed to the nationality requirement stipulated for the second tranche of the British Nationality Scheme.

Marriages

Marriages in Hong Kong are governed by the Marriage Ordinance and the Marriage Reform Ordinance.

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