CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html class="client-nojs vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>British nationality law and Hong Kong - Wikipedia</title> <script>(function(){var className="client-js vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available";var cookie=document.cookie.match(/(?:^|; )enwikimwclientpreferences=([^;]+)/);if(cookie){cookie[1].split('%2C').forEach(function(pref){className=className.replace(new RegExp('(^| )'+pref.replace(/-clientpref-\w+$|[^\w-]+/g,'')+'-clientpref-\\w+( |$)'),'$1'+pref+'$2');});}document.documentElement.className=className;}());RLCONF={"wgBreakFrames":false,"wgSeparatorTransformTable":["",""],"wgDigitTransformTable":["",""],"wgDefaultDateFormat":"dmy", "wgMonthNames":["","January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"wgRequestId":"abd23f79-ab98-4a68-8e60-9be08a4faa38","wgCanonicalNamespace":"","wgCanonicalSpecialPageName":false,"wgNamespaceNumber":0,"wgPageName":"British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong","wgTitle":"British nationality law and Hong Kong","wgCurRevisionId":1251235672,"wgRevisionId":1251235672,"wgArticleId":2482897,"wgIsArticle":true,"wgIsRedirect":false,"wgAction":"view","wgUserName":null,"wgUserGroups":["*"],"wgCategories":["Webarchive template wayback links","CS1 Chinese-language sources (zh)","Articles with short description","Short description matches Wikidata","Articles needing additional references from January 2020","All articles needing additional references","EngvarB from July 2014","Use dmy dates from July 2014","All articles with unsourced statements","Articles with unsourced statements from August 2010", "All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases","Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from January 2023","British nationality law","Immigration to the United Kingdom","Foreign relations of Hong Kong","History of Hong Kong","International travel documents","British Hong Kong","Hong Kong travel documents","China–United Kingdom relations","Chinese community in the United Kingdom","Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning Hong Kong","Hong Kong and the Commonwealth of Nations"],"wgPageViewLanguage":"en","wgPageContentLanguage":"en","wgPageContentModel":"wikitext","wgRelevantPageName":"British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong","wgRelevantArticleId":2482897,"wgIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRelevantPageIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRestrictionEdit":[],"wgRestrictionMove":[],"wgNoticeProject":"wikipedia","wgCiteReferencePreviewsActive":false,"wgFlaggedRevsParams":{"tags":{"status":{"levels":1}}},"wgMediaViewerOnClick":true, "wgMediaViewerEnabledByDefault":true,"wgPopupsFlags":0,"wgVisualEditor":{"pageLanguageCode":"en","pageLanguageDir":"ltr","pageVariantFallbacks":"en"},"wgMFDisplayWikibaseDescriptions":{"search":true,"watchlist":true,"tagline":false,"nearby":true},"wgWMESchemaEditAttemptStepOversample":false,"wgWMEPageLength":40000,"wgRelatedArticlesCompat":[],"wgCentralAuthMobileDomain":false,"wgEditSubmitButtonLabelPublish":true,"wgULSPosition":"interlanguage","wgULSisCompactLinksEnabled":false,"wgVector2022LanguageInHeader":true,"wgULSisLanguageSelectorEmpty":false,"wgWikibaseItemId":"Q4971419","wgCheckUserClientHintsHeadersJsApi":["brands","architecture","bitness","fullVersionList","mobile","model","platform","platformVersion"],"GEHomepageSuggestedEditsEnableTopics":true,"wgGETopicsMatchModeEnabled":false,"wgGEStructuredTaskRejectionReasonTextInputEnabled":false,"wgGELevelingUpEnabledForUser":false};RLSTATE={"ext.globalCssJs.user.styles":"ready","site.styles":"ready","user.styles":"ready", "ext.globalCssJs.user":"ready","user":"ready","user.options":"loading","ext.cite.styles":"ready","skins.vector.search.codex.styles":"ready","skins.vector.styles":"ready","skins.vector.icons":"ready","jquery.makeCollapsible.styles":"ready","ext.wikimediamessages.styles":"ready","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript":"ready","ext.uls.interlanguage":"ready","wikibase.client.init":"ready","ext.wikimediaBadges":"ready"};RLPAGEMODULES=["ext.cite.ux-enhancements","mediawiki.page.media","site","mediawiki.page.ready","jquery.makeCollapsible","mediawiki.toc","skins.vector.js","ext.centralNotice.geoIP","ext.centralNotice.startUp","ext.gadget.ReferenceTooltips","ext.gadget.switcher","ext.urlShortener.toolbar","ext.centralauth.centralautologin","mmv.bootstrap","ext.popups","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.init","ext.visualEditor.targetLoader","ext.echo.centralauth","ext.eventLogging","ext.wikimediaEvents","ext.navigationTiming","ext.uls.interface","ext.cx.eventlogging.campaigns", "ext.cx.uls.quick.actions","wikibase.client.vector-2022","ext.checkUser.clientHints","ext.growthExperiments.SuggestedEditSession","wikibase.sidebar.tracking"];</script> <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.loader.impl(function(){return["user.options@12s5i",function($,jQuery,require,module){mw.user.tokens.set({"patrolToken":"+\\","watchToken":"+\\","csrfToken":"+\\"}); }];});});</script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=ext.cite.styles%7Cext.uls.interlanguage%7Cext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript%7Cext.wikimediaBadges%7Cext.wikimediamessages.styles%7Cjquery.makeCollapsible.styles%7Cskins.vector.icons%2Cstyles%7Cskins.vector.search.codex.styles%7Cwikibase.client.init&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <script async="" src="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=startup&only=scripts&raw=1&skin=vector-2022"></script> <meta name="ResourceLoaderDynamicStyles" content=""> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=site.styles&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <meta name="generator" content="MediaWiki 1.44.0-wmf.4"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin-when-cross-origin"> <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:standard"> <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/1200px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1200"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="600"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/800px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="800"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="400"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/640px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="640"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="320"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=1120"> <meta property="og:title" content="British nationality law and Hong Kong - Wikipedia"> <meta property="og:type" content="website"> <link rel="preconnect" href="//upload.wikimedia.org"> <link rel="alternate" media="only screen and (max-width: 640px)" href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/x-wiki" title="Edit this page" href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png"> <link rel="icon" href="/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico"> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/w/rest.php/v1/search" title="Wikipedia (en)"> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" href="//en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php?action=rsd"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong"> <link rel="license" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Wikipedia Atom feed" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges&feed=atom"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//meta.wikimedia.org" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//login.wikimedia.org"> </head> <body class="skin--responsive skin-vector skin-vector-search-vue mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject mw-editable page-British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong rootpage-British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong skin-vector-2022 action-view"><a class="mw-jump-link" href="#bodyContent">Jump to content</a> <div class="vector-header-container"> <header class="vector-header mw-header"> <div class="vector-header-start"> <nav class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-main-menu-dropdown vector-button-flush-left vector-button-flush-right" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Main menu" > <label id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-label" for="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-menu mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-menu"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Main menu</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-main-menu" class="vector-main-menu vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-main-menu-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="main-menu-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-main-menu" data-pinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Main menu</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-navigation" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-navigation" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Navigation </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-mainpage-description" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Main_Page" title="Visit the main page [z]" accesskey="z"><span>Main page</span></a></li><li id="n-contents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents" title="Guides to browsing Wikipedia"><span>Contents</span></a></li><li id="n-currentevents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Portal:Current_events" title="Articles related to current events"><span>Current events</span></a></li><li id="n-randompage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:Random" title="Visit a randomly selected article [x]" accesskey="x"><span>Random article</span></a></li><li id="n-aboutsite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About" title="Learn about Wikipedia and how it works"><span>About Wikipedia</span></a></li><li id="n-contactpage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us" title="How to contact Wikipedia"><span>Contact us</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-interaction" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-interaction" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Contribute </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-help" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Contents" title="Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia"><span>Help</span></a></li><li id="n-introduction" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" title="Learn how to edit Wikipedia"><span>Learn to edit</span></a></li><li id="n-portal" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_portal" title="The hub for editors"><span>Community portal</span></a></li><li id="n-recentchanges" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChanges" title="A list of recent changes to Wikipedia [r]" accesskey="r"><span>Recent changes</span></a></li><li id="n-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:File_upload_wizard" title="Add images or other media for use on Wikipedia"><span>Upload file</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <a href="/wiki/Main_Page" class="mw-logo"> <img class="mw-logo-icon" src="/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png" alt="" aria-hidden="true" height="50" width="50"> <span class="mw-logo-container skin-invert"> <img class="mw-logo-wordmark" alt="Wikipedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" style="width: 7.5em; height: 1.125em;"> <img class="mw-logo-tagline" alt="The Free Encyclopedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg" width="117" height="13" style="width: 7.3125em; height: 0.8125em;"> </span> </a> </div> <div class="vector-header-end"> <div id="p-search" role="search" class="vector-search-box-vue vector-search-box-collapses vector-search-box-show-thumbnail vector-search-box-auto-expand-width vector-search-box"> <a href="/wiki/Special:Search" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only search-toggle" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-search mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-search"></span> <span>Search</span> </a> <div class="vector-typeahead-search-container"> <div class="cdx-typeahead-search cdx-typeahead-search--show-thumbnail cdx-typeahead-search--auto-expand-width"> <form action="/w/index.php" id="searchform" class="cdx-search-input cdx-search-input--has-end-button"> <div id="simpleSearch" class="cdx-search-input__input-wrapper" data-search-loc="header-moved"> <div class="cdx-text-input cdx-text-input--has-start-icon"> <input class="cdx-text-input__input" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search Wikipedia" aria-label="Search Wikipedia" autocapitalize="sentences" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f" id="searchInput" > <span class="cdx-text-input__icon cdx-text-input__start-icon"></span> </div> <input type="hidden" name="title" value="Special:Search"> </div> <button class="cdx-button cdx-search-input__end-button">Search</button> </form> </div> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-user-links vector-user-links-wide" aria-label="Personal tools"> <div class="vector-user-links-main"> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-preferences" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-userpage" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown " title="Change the appearance of the page's font size, width, and color" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Appearance" > <label id="vector-appearance-dropdown-label" for="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-appearance mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-appearance"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Appearance</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-notifications" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-overflow" class="vector-menu mw-portlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en" class=""><span>Donate</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-createaccount-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=British+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory" class=""><span>Create account</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-login-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=British+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o" class=""><span>Log in</span></a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-user-menu vector-button-flush-right vector-user-menu-logged-out" title="Log in and more options" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Personal tools" > <label id="vector-user-links-dropdown-label" for="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-ellipsis mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-ellipsis"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Personal tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-personal" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-personal user-links-collapsible-item" title="User menu" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en"><span>Donate</span></a></li><li id="pt-createaccount" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=British+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-userAdd mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-userAdd"></span> <span>Create account</span></a></li><li id="pt-login" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=British+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-logIn mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-logIn"></span> <span>Log in</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-user-menu-anon-editor" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-user-menu-anon-editor" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Pages for logged out editors <a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" aria-label="Learn more about editing"><span>learn more</span></a> </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-anoncontribs" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyContributions" title="A list of edits made from this IP address [y]" accesskey="y"><span>Contributions</span></a></li><li id="pt-anontalk" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyTalk" title="Discussion about edits from this IP address [n]" accesskey="n"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </header> </div> <div class="mw-page-container"> <div class="mw-page-container-inner"> <div class="vector-sitenotice-container"> <div id="siteNotice"></div> </div> <div class="vector-column-start"> <div class="vector-main-menu-container"> <div id="mw-navigation"> <nav id="mw-panel" class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav id="mw-panel-toc" aria-label="Contents" data-event-name="ui.sidebar-toc" class="mw-table-of-contents-container vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-toc-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-toc" class="vector-toc vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-toc-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="toc-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-toc" > <h2 class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Contents</h2> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.unpin">hide</button> </div> <ul class="vector-toc-contents" id="mw-panel-toc-list"> <li id="toc-mw-content-text" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a href="#" class="vector-toc-link"> <div class="vector-toc-text">(Top)</div> </a> </li> <li id="toc-Early_colonial_era" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Early_colonial_era"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1</span> <span>Early colonial era</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Early_colonial_era-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Early colonial era subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Early_colonial_era-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-British_Nationality_and_Status_of_Aliens_Act_1914" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#British_Nationality_and_Status_of_Aliens_Act_1914"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1</span> <span>British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-British_Nationality_and_Status_of_Aliens_Act_1914-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-British_Nationality_Act_1948" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#British_Nationality_Act_1948"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2</span> <span>British Nationality Act 1948</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-British_Nationality_Act_1948-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Commonwealth_Immigrants_Acts" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Commonwealth_Immigrants_Acts"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3</span> <span>Commonwealth Immigrants Acts</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Commonwealth_Immigrants_Acts-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-British_Nationality_Act_1981_and_British_Dependent_Territories_Citizenship" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#British_Nationality_Act_1981_and_British_Dependent_Territories_Citizenship"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4</span> <span>British Nationality Act 1981 and British Dependent Territories Citizenship</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-British_Nationality_Act_1981_and_British_Dependent_Territories_Citizenship-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-After_the_Sino-British_Joint_Declaration" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#After_the_Sino-British_Joint_Declaration"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>After the Sino-British Joint Declaration</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-After_the_Sino-British_Joint_Declaration-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle After the Sino-British Joint Declaration subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-After_the_Sino-British_Joint_Declaration-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Creation_of_the_British_National_(Overseas)_status" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Creation_of_the_British_National_(Overseas)_status"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>Creation of the British National (Overseas) status</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Creation_of_the_British_National_(Overseas)_status-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-British_Overseas_Citizen_status_for_those_who_are_'otherwise_stateless'" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#British_Overseas_Citizen_status_for_those_who_are_'otherwise_stateless'"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1.1</span> <span>British Overseas Citizen status for those who are 'otherwise stateless'</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-British_Overseas_Citizen_status_for_those_who_are_'otherwise_stateless'-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-British_Nationality_Selection_Scheme" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#British_Nationality_Selection_Scheme"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2</span> <span>British Nationality Selection Scheme</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-British_Nationality_Selection_Scheme-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Hong_Kong_(War_Wives_and_Widows)_Act_1996" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Hong_Kong_(War_Wives_and_Widows)_Act_1996"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.3</span> <span>Hong Kong (War Wives and Widows) Act 1996</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Hong_Kong_(War_Wives_and_Widows)_Act_1996-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-British_Nationality_(Hong_Kong)_Act_1997" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#British_Nationality_(Hong_Kong)_Act_1997"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.4</span> <span>British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-British_Nationality_(Hong_Kong)_Act_1997-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Nationality,_Immigration_and_Asylum_Act_2002" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Nationality,_Immigration_and_Asylum_Act_2002"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.5</span> <span>Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Nationality,_Immigration_and_Asylum_Act_2002-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Borders,_Citizenship_and_Immigration_Act_2009" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Borders,_Citizenship_and_Immigration_Act_2009"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.6</span> <span>Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Borders,_Citizenship_and_Immigration_Act_2009-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Chinese_view_on_nationality_of_Hong_Kong_residents" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Chinese_view_on_nationality_of_Hong_Kong_residents"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Chinese view on nationality of Hong Kong residents</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Chinese_view_on_nationality_of_Hong_Kong_residents-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Recent_groups_eligible_for_a_form_of_British_nationality" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Recent_groups_eligible_for_a_form_of_British_nationality"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Recent groups eligible for a form of British nationality</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Recent_groups_eligible_for_a_form_of_British_nationality-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Recent groups eligible for a form of British nationality subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Recent_groups_eligible_for_a_form_of_British_nationality-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-British_citizenship_for_non-ethnic_Chinese_which_were_wrongfully_denied" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#British_citizenship_for_non-ethnic_Chinese_which_were_wrongfully_denied"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.1</span> <span>British citizenship for non-ethnic Chinese which were wrongfully denied</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-British_citizenship_for_non-ethnic_Chinese_which_were_wrongfully_denied-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-British_Overseas_Citizen_status/citizenship_for_certain_ethnic_Indians_(new_Indian_law)" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#British_Overseas_Citizen_status/citizenship_for_certain_ethnic_Indians_(new_Indian_law)"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.2</span> <span>British Overseas Citizen status/citizenship for certain ethnic Indians (new Indian law)</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-British_Overseas_Citizen_status/citizenship_for_certain_ethnic_Indians_(new_Indian_law)-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Reinterpretation_of_Nepali_nationality_law" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Reinterpretation_of_Nepali_nationality_law"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3</span> <span>Reinterpretation of Nepali nationality law</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Reinterpretation_of_Nepali_nationality_law-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-British_citizenship_for_British_Nationals_(Overseas)_who_are_otherwise_stateless" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#British_citizenship_for_British_Nationals_(Overseas)_who_are_otherwise_stateless"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.4</span> <span>British citizenship for British Nationals (Overseas) who are otherwise stateless</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-British_citizenship_for_British_Nationals_(Overseas)_who_are_otherwise_stateless-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Future_of_the_British_National_(Overseas)_status" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Future_of_the_British_National_(Overseas)_status"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Future of the British National (Overseas) status</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Future_of_the_British_National_(Overseas)_status-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Hong_Kong_BN(O)_Visa" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Hong_Kong_BN(O)_Visa"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Hong Kong BN(O) Visa</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Hong_Kong_BN(O)_Visa-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-See_also-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle See also subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Government_documents" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Government_documents"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.1</span> <span>Government documents</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Government_documents-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Legislation" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Legislation"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.2</span> <span>Legislation</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Legislation-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Newspapers/Commentaries" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Newspapers/Commentaries"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.3</span> <span>Newspapers/Commentaries</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Newspapers/Commentaries-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">British nationality law and Hong Kong</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 2 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-2" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">2 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh-yue mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8B%B1%E5%9C%8B%E5%9C%8B%E7%B1%8D%E6%B3%95%E5%90%8C%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF" title="英國國籍法同香港 – Cantonese" lang="yue" hreflang="yue" data-title="英國國籍法同香港" data-language-autonym="粵語" data-language-local-name="Cantonese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>粵語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8B%B1%E5%9C%8B%E5%9C%8B%E7%B1%8D%E6%B3%95%E8%88%87%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF" title="英國國籍法與香港 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="英國國籍法與香港" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>中文</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q4971419#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div id="p-associated-pages" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-associated-pages" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-nstab-main" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong" title="View the content page [c]" accesskey="c"><span>Article</span></a></li><li id="ca-talk" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Talk:British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong" rel="discussion" title="Discuss improvements to the content page [t]" accesskey="t"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown emptyPortlet" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Change language variant" > <label id="vector-variants-dropdown-label" for="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">English</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-variants" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-variants emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> <div id="right-navigation" class="vector-collapsible"> <nav aria-label="Views"> <div id="p-views" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-views" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-view" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-edit" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-history" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=history" title="Past revisions of this page [h]" accesskey="h"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-tools-dropdown" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Tools" > <label id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-label" for="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-page-tools" class="vector-page-tools vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-page-tools-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="page-tools-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-page-tools" data-pinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Tools</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-cactions" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-cactions emptyPortlet vector-has-collapsible-items" title="More options" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Actions </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-more-view" class="selected vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-edit" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-history" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=history"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-tb" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-tb" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> General </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="t-whatlinkshere" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:WhatLinksHere/British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong" title="List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [j]" accesskey="j"><span>What links here</span></a></li><li id="t-recentchangeslinked" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChangesLinked/British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong" rel="nofollow" title="Recent changes in pages linked from this page [k]" accesskey="k"><span>Related changes</span></a></li><li id="t-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard" title="Upload files [u]" accesskey="u"><span>Upload file</span></a></li><li id="t-specialpages" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:SpecialPages" title="A list of all special pages [q]" accesskey="q"><span>Special pages</span></a></li><li id="t-permalink" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&oldid=1251235672" title="Permanent link to this revision of this page"><span>Permanent link</span></a></li><li id="t-info" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=info" title="More information about this page"><span>Page information</span></a></li><li id="t-cite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CiteThisPage&page=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&id=1251235672&wpFormIdentifier=titleform" title="Information on how to cite this page"><span>Cite this page</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UrlShortener&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBritish_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong"><span>Get shortened URL</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener-qrcode" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:QrCode&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBritish_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong"><span>Download QR code</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-coll-print_export" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-coll-print_export" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Print/export </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="coll-download-as-rl" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:DownloadAsPdf&page=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=show-download-screen" title="Download this page as a PDF file"><span>Download as PDF</span></a></li><li id="t-print" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&printable=yes" title="Printable version of this page [p]" accesskey="p"><span>Printable version</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-wikibase-otherprojects" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-wikibase-otherprojects" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> In other projects </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="t-wikibase" class="wb-otherproject-link wb-otherproject-wikibase-dataitem mw-list-item"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q4971419" title="Structured data on this page hosted by Wikidata [g]" accesskey="g"><span>Wikidata item</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-column-end"> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-appearance" class="vector-appearance vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-appearance-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="appearance-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-appearance" data-pinned-container-id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Appearance</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Status of Hong Kong people in United Kingdom law</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For information on the most prominent type of British nationality in Hong Kong, see <a href="/wiki/British_National_(Overseas)" title="British National (Overseas)">British National (Overseas)</a>.</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1251242444">.mw-parser-output .ambox{border:1px solid #a2a9b1;border-left:10px solid #36c;background-color:#fbfbfb;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+link+.ambox{margin-top:-1px}html body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .ambox.mbox-small-left{margin:4px 1em 4px 0;overflow:hidden;width:238px;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em}.mw-parser-output .ambox-speedy{border-left:10px solid #b32424;background-color:#fee7e6}.mw-parser-output .ambox-delete{border-left:10px solid #b32424}.mw-parser-output .ambox-content{border-left:10px solid #f28500}.mw-parser-output .ambox-style{border-left:10px solid #fc3}.mw-parser-output .ambox-move{border-left:10px solid #9932cc}.mw-parser-output .ambox-protection{border-left:10px solid #a2a9b1}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-text{border:none;padding:0.25em 0.5em;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image{border:none;padding:2px 0 2px 0.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-imageright{border:none;padding:2px 0.5em 2px 0;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-empty-cell{border:none;padding:0;width:1px}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image-div{width:52px}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .ambox{margin:0 10%}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .ambox{display:none!important}}</style><table class="box-More_citations_needed plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Refimprove" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="39" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/75px-Question_book-new.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/100px-Question_book-new.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="399" /></a></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This article <b>needs additional citations for <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verification</a></b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please help <a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong" title="Special:EditPage/British nationality law and Hong Kong">improve this article</a> by <a href="/wiki/Help:Referencing_for_beginners" title="Help:Referencing for beginners">adding citations to reliable sources</a>. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.<br /><small><span class="plainlinks"><i>Find sources:</i> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22British+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong%22">"British nationality law and Hong Kong"</a> – <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22British+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong%22+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1">news</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?&q=%22British+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong%22&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks">newspapers</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22British+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong%22+-wikipedia">books</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22British+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong%22">scholar</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22British+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong%22&acc=on&wc=on">JSTOR</a></span></small></span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">January 2020</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1246091330">.mw-parser-output .sidebar{width:22em;float:right;clear:right;margin:0.5em 0 1em 1em;background:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#f8f9fa);border:1px solid var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1);padding:0.2em;text-align:center;line-height:1.4em;font-size:88%;border-collapse:collapse;display:table}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:table!important;float:right!important;margin:0.5em 0 1em 1em!important}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-subgroup{width:100%;margin:0;border-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-left{float:left;clear:left;margin:0.5em 1em 1em 0}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-none{float:none;clear:both;margin:0.5em 1em 1em 0}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-outer-title{padding:0 0.4em 0.2em;font-size:125%;line-height:1.2em;font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-top-image{padding:0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-top-caption,.mw-parser-output .sidebar-pretitle-with-top-image,.mw-parser-output .sidebar-caption{padding:0.2em 0.4em 0;line-height:1.2em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-pretitle{padding:0.4em 0.4em 0;line-height:1.2em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-title,.mw-parser-output .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{padding:0.2em 0.8em;font-size:145%;line-height:1.2em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{padding:0.1em 0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-image{padding:0.2em 0.4em 0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-heading{padding:0.1em 0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-content{padding:0 0.5em 0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-content-with-subgroup{padding:0.1em 0.4em 0.2em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-above,.mw-parser-output .sidebar-below{padding:0.3em 0.8em;font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-collapse .sidebar-above,.mw-parser-output .sidebar-collapse .sidebar-below{border-top:1px solid #aaa;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-navbar{text-align:right;font-size:115%;padding:0 0.4em 0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-list-title{padding:0 0.4em;text-align:left;font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6em;font-size:105%}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-list-title-c{padding:0 0.4em;text-align:center;margin:0 3.3em}@media(max-width:640px){body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .sidebar{width:100%!important;clear:both;float:none!important;margin-left:0!important;margin-right:0!important}}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .sidebar a>img{max-width:none!important}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:none!important}}</style><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks plainlist" style="border-color:grey;"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-title">British citizenship and<br />nationality law</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/150px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" decoding="async" width="150" height="75" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/225px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/300px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background: #E9E9E9;"> Introduction</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_nationality_law" title="British nationality law">British nationality law</a> (<a href="/wiki/History_of_British_nationality_law" title="History of British nationality law">History</a>)</li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background: #E9E9E9;"> Nationality classes</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_nationality_law" title="British nationality law">British citizens</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_subject" title="British subject">British subjects</a><br /><small><i>(under the British Nationality Act 1981)</i></small></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_Territories_citizen" title="British Overseas Territories citizen">British Overseas Territories citizens</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_National_(Overseas)" title="British National (Overseas)">British Nationals (Overseas)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_citizen" title="British Overseas citizen">British Overseas citizens</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_protected_person" title="British protected person">British protected persons</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background: #E9E9E9;"> See also</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_citizen" title="Commonwealth citizen">Commonwealth citizens</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_passport" title="British passport">British passports</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Right_of_abode_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Right of abode in the United Kingdom">Right of abode</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indefinite_leave_to_remain" title="Indefinite leave to remain">Indefinite leave to remain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belonger_status" title="Belonger status">Belonger status</a><br /><small><i>(in certain <a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_Territories" title="British Overseas Territories">British Overseas Territories</a>)</i></small></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background: #E9E9E9;"> Law relating to former territories</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="hlist"><ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Hong Kong</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/British_nationality_law_and_the_Republic_of_Ireland" title="British nationality law and the Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Nationality_law_in_the_American_Colonies" title="Nationality law in the American Colonies">Thirteen Colonies</a></li></ul></div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background: #E9E9E9;"> Relevant legislation</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_Act_1948" title="British Nationality Act 1948">British Nationality Act 1948</a> / <a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_Act_1981" title="British Nationality Act 1981">1981</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ireland_Act_1949" title="Ireland Act 1949">Ireland Act 1949</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_Immigrants_Act_1962" title="Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962">Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962</a> / <a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_Immigrants_Act_1968" title="Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968">1968</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Immigration_Act_1971" title="Immigration Act 1971">Immigration Act 1971</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_(Falkland_Islands)_Act_1983" title="British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983">British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_Territories_Act_2002" title="British Overseas Territories Act 2002">British Overseas Territories Act 2002</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:British_citizenship_and_British_nationality_law" title="Template:British citizenship and British nationality law"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:British_citizenship_and_British_nationality_law" title="Template talk:British citizenship and British nationality law"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:British_citizenship_and_British_nationality_law" title="Special:EditPage/Template:British citizenship and British nationality law"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Hong_Konger.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Hong_Konger.png/220px-Hong_Konger.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="197" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Hong_Konger.png/330px-Hong_Konger.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Hong_Konger.png/440px-Hong_Konger.png 2x" data-file-width="997" data-file-height="892" /></a><figcaption>Nationalities listed in <a href="/wiki/Gov.uk" title="Gov.uk">gov.uk</a> showing <a href="/wiki/Hong_Konger" class="mw-redirect" title="Hong Konger">Hong Konger</a>.</figcaption></figure> <p>British nationality law as it pertains to <a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong" title="Hong Kong">Hong Kong</a> has changed over time since it became a <a href="/wiki/British_colony" class="mw-redirect" title="British colony">British colony</a> in 1842. Hongkongers were given various nationality statuses, such as <a href="/wiki/British_subjects" class="mw-redirect" title="British subjects">British subjects</a>, <a href="/wiki/Citizen_of_the_United_Kingdom_and_Colonies" class="mw-redirect" title="Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies">Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies</a>, <a href="/wiki/British_Dependent_Territories_Citizen" class="mw-redirect" title="British Dependent Territories Citizen">British Dependent Territories Citizen</a> and <a href="/wiki/British_Nationals_(Overseas)" class="mw-redirect" title="British Nationals (Overseas)">British Nationals (Overseas)</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Early_colonial_era">Early colonial era</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Early colonial era"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/English_common_law" class="mw-redirect" title="English common law">English common law</a> has the rationale of natural-born citizenship, following the principle of <i><a href="/wiki/Jus_soli" title="Jus soli">jus soli</a></i>, in the theory that people born within the dominion of <a href="/wiki/The_Crown" title="The Crown">The Crown</a>, which included self-governing <a href="/wiki/British_Dominions" class="mw-redirect" title="British Dominions">dominions</a> and <a href="/wiki/Crown_colonies" class="mw-redirect" title="Crown colonies">Crown colonies</a>, would have a "natural allegiance" to the Crown as a "debt of gratitude" to the Crown for protecting them through infancy. As the dominion of the British Empire expanded, <a href="/wiki/British_subject" title="British subject">British subjects</a> included not only persons within the United Kingdom but also those throughout the rest of the British Empire. </p><p>By this definition, anyone born in Hong Kong after it became a British colony in 1842 was a British subject. The Naturalisation of Aliens Act 1847 expanded what had been covered in the Naturalisation Act 1844, which applied only to people within the United Kingdom, to all its dominions and colonies. The Act made provisions for naturalisation as well as allowing for acquisition of British subject status by marriage between a foreign woman and a man with British subject status. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="British_Nationality_and_Status_of_Aliens_Act_1914">British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_and_Status_of_Aliens_Act_1914" class="mw-redirect" title="British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914">British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914</a></div> <p>The British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914 (now renamed as "Status of Aliens Act 1914") came into force on 1 January 1915, codifying for the first time the law relating to British nationality. No major change was introduced but it set into law how people associated with Hong Kong – as part of "His Majesty's dominions" – would acquire British subject status. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="British_Nationality_Act_1948">British Nationality Act 1948</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: British Nationality Act 1948"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_Act_1948" title="British Nationality Act 1948">British Nationality Act 1948</a></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations" title="Commonwealth of Nations">Commonwealth of Nations</a>' heads of government decided in 1948 to embark on a major change in the law of nationality throughout the Commonwealth. It was decided at the conference that the United Kingdom and the self-governing dominions would each adopt separate national citizenship, but retain the common imperial status of British subject. The British Nationality Act 1948 provided for a new status of <a href="/wiki/Citizen_of_the_United_Kingdom_and_Colonies" class="mw-redirect" title="Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies">Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies</a> (CUKC), consisting of British subjects who had a close relationship (either through birth or descent) with the United Kingdom and its remaining colonies. The Act also provided that British subjects could be known by the alternative title <a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_citizen" title="Commonwealth citizen">Commonwealth citizen</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-LEGISLATION.GO_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-LEGISLATION.GO-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Act came into force on 1 January 1949 and stipulated that anyone born in "United Kingdom or a colony" on or after that date was a CUKC.<sup id="cite_ref-original_act_doc_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-original_act_doc-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Those who were British subjects on 31 December 1948 were entitled to acquire CUKC status by declaration. The deadline for this was originally 31 December 1949, but the deadline was extended to 31 December 1962 by the British Nationality Act 1958. </p><p>British Nationality Acts were passed in 1958, 1964 and 1965, which mainly fine-tuned special provisions about CUKC status acquisition. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Commonwealth_Immigrants_Acts">Commonwealth Immigrants Acts</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Commonwealth Immigrants Acts"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Until 1962, all Commonwealth citizens could enter and stay in the United Kingdom without any restriction. Anticipating immigration waves from former and current colonies in Africa and Asia with the decolonisation of the 1960s, the United Kingdom passed the <a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_Immigrants_Act_1962" title="Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962">Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962</a> to tighten immigration control for Commonwealth nationals into the United Kingdom, and the <a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_Immigrants_Act_1968" title="Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968">Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968</a> modified the wording of the 1962 act to apply to certain colonial CUKCs. </p><p>The Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968 made a number of changes to the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962, beginning with amending the definition of to whom the Act applied. By comparison: </p><p><b>Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962</b>: </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>PART I </p><p>CONTROL OF IMMIGRATION </p><p>1.-(1) The provisions of this Part of this Act shall have effect for controlling the immigration into the United Kingdom of Commonwealth citizens to whom this section applies. </p> <ul><li>(2) This section applies to any Commonwealth citizen not being- <ul><li>(a) a person born in the United Kingdom :</li> <li>(b) a person who holds a United Kingdom passport and is a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies, or who holds such a passport issued in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland ; or (c) a person included in the passport of another person who is excepted under paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of this subsection.</li></ul></li></ul> <p>(3) In this section "passport" means a current passport ; and "United Kingdom passport" means a passport issued to the holder by the Government of the United Kingdom, not being a passport so issued on behalf of the Government of any part of the Commonwealth outside the United Kingdom. </p><p> (4) This Part of this Act applies to British protected persons and citizens of the Republic of Ireland as it applies to Commonwealth citizens, and references therein to Commonwealth citizens, and to Commonwealth citizens to whom this section applies, shall be construed accordingly.</p></blockquote> <p><b>Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968</b>: </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>1. In section 1 of the principal Act (application of Part I), in subsection (2)(b) after the words "citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies" there shall be inserted the words "and fulfills the condition specified in subsection (2A) of this section", and after subsection (2) there shall be inserted the following subsection:- </p><ul><li>"(2A) The condition referred to in subsection (2)(b) of this section, in relation to a person, is that he, or at least one of his parents or grandparents,- <ul><li>(a) was born in the United Kingdom, or</li> <li>(b) is or was a person naturalised in the United Kingdom, or</li> <li>(c) became a citizen of the United Kingdom and colonies by virtue of being adopted in the United Kingdom, or</li> <li>(d) became such a citizen by being registered under Part II of the British Nationality Act 1948 or under the British Nationality Act 1964, either in the United kingdom or in a country which, on the date on which he was so registered, was one of the countries mentioned in section 1(3) of the said Act of 1948 as it had effect on that date".</li></ul></li></ul></blockquote> <p>As such, CUKCs connected with Hong Kong were subject to immigration control after 1968. </p><p>Finally, under the <a href="/wiki/Immigration_Act_1971" title="Immigration Act 1971">Immigration Act 1971</a>, the concept of patriality or <a href="/wiki/Right_of_abode" title="Right of abode">right of abode</a> was created. CUKCs and other Commonwealth citizens had the right of abode in the UK only if they, their husband (if female), their parents or their grandparents were connected with the United Kingdom. This placed the UK in the rare position of denying some of its nationals entry into their country of nationality. However, the concept of patriality was only a temporary solution to halt a sudden wave of migration. The British government later reformed the law, resulting in the British Nationality Act 1981. </p><p>These acts shaped an increasingly restrictive immigration policy into the UK for Hong Kong residents even before the <a href="/wiki/Sino-British_Joint_Declaration" title="Sino-British Joint Declaration">Sino-British Joint Declaration</a> of 1984. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="British_Nationality_Act_1981_and_British_Dependent_Territories_Citizenship">British Nationality Act 1981 and British Dependent Territories Citizenship</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: British Nationality Act 1981 and British Dependent Territories Citizenship"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Old-hongkong-bp.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Old-hongkong-bp.jpg/220px-Old-hongkong-bp.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="93" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Old-hongkong-bp.jpg/330px-Old-hongkong-bp.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Old-hongkong-bp.jpg/440px-Old-hongkong-bp.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1750" data-file-height="736" /></a><figcaption>A <a href="/wiki/British_passport" title="British passport">British passport</a> for a BDTC with connection with Hong Kong</figcaption></figure> <p>The <a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_Act_1981" title="British Nationality Act 1981">British Nationality Act 1981</a> created new categories of British nationality and renamed British colonial territories. After implementation, all British Crown colonies became <a href="/wiki/British_Dependent_Territories" class="mw-redirect" title="British Dependent Territories">British Dependent Territories</a>. The Act abolished the status of CUKC, and replaced it with three new categories of nationality on 1 January 1983: </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_Citizen" class="mw-redirect" title="British Citizen">British Citizen</a> (for residents of the UK and the <a href="/wiki/Crown_dependency" class="mw-redirect" title="Crown dependency">Crown dependencies</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Dependent_Territories_Citizen" class="mw-redirect" title="British Dependent Territories Citizen">British Dependent Territories Citizen</a> (BDTC) (for the Crown colonies), and</li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_Citizen" class="mw-redirect" title="British Overseas Citizen">British Overseas Citizen</a> (BOC) (a class of non-inheritable nationality for those who are unable to become a British Citizen, a BDTC or a national of another country)</li></ul> <p>The law stated that those who have CUKC status by connection with Hong Kong and those born in Hong Kong on or after 1983 to a parent settled in Hong Kong are BDTCs. The law also stated that British Citizens or BDTCs by descent could not automatically pass on British nationality to a child born outside the United Kingdom or the dependent territories concerned unless a parent acquired citizenship otherwise than by descent. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="After_the_Sino-British_Joint_Declaration">After the Sino-British Joint Declaration</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: After the Sino-British Joint Declaration"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/100px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="50" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/150px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/200px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Hong_Kong_(1959%E2%80%931997).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Flag_of_Hong_Kong_%281959%E2%80%931997%29.svg/100px-Flag_of_Hong_Kong_%281959%E2%80%931997%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="50" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Flag_of_Hong_Kong_%281959%E2%80%931997%29.svg/150px-Flag_of_Hong_Kong_%281959%E2%80%931997%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Flag_of_Hong_Kong_%281959%E2%80%931997%29.svg/200px-Flag_of_Hong_Kong_%281959%E2%80%931997%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg/100px-Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="67" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg/150px-Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg/200px-Flag_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p>Negotiation concerning the future of Hong Kong started in the late 1970s between Britain and China. With the signing of the <a href="/wiki/Sino-British_Joint_Declaration" title="Sino-British Joint Declaration">Sino-British Joint Declaration</a> on 19 December 1984, the future of Hong Kong was set, with China to assume sovereignty of the entire territory of Hong Kong on 1 July 1997. </p><p>At that time, there were some 3.5 million residents of Hong Kong with BDTC status by virtue of their connection with Hong Kong.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2010)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> Another 2 million were believed to have been eligible to apply to become BDTCs. After the handover, they would have lost this status and became solely <a href="/wiki/Chinese_nationality_law" title="Chinese nationality law">Chinese nationals</a>. At the time, Hong Kong was the largest of the remaining British dependent territories with over 5 million inhabitants. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Creation_of_the_British_National_(Overseas)_status"><span id="Creation_of_the_British_National_.28Overseas.29_status"></span>Creation of the British National (Overseas) status</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Creation of the British National (Overseas) status"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks plainlist" style="width:20%;border-color:grey;"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-title">Demographics and culture of Hong Kong</th></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background: #E9E9E9;"> <a href="/wiki/Demographics_of_Hong_Kong" title="Demographics of Hong Kong">Demographics</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Census_in_Hong_Kong" class="mw-redirect" title="Census in Hong Kong">Census</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Health_in_Hong_Kong" title="Health in Hong Kong">Health</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hongkongers" title="Hongkongers">Hongkongers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong_resident" title="Hong Kong resident">Hong Kong resident</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong_identity_card" title="Hong Kong identity card">Hong Kong identity card</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Languages_of_Hong_Kong" title="Languages of Hong Kong">Languages</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Religion_in_Hong_Kong" title="Religion in Hong Kong">Religion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Right_of_abode_in_Hong_Kong" title="Right of abode in Hong Kong">Right of abode</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background: #E9E9E9;"> <a href="/wiki/Culture_of_Hong_Kong" title="Culture of Hong Kong">Culture</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cinema_of_Hong_Kong" title="Cinema of Hong Kong">Cinema</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong_comics" title="Hong Kong comics">Comics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong_cuisine" title="Hong Kong cuisine">Cuisine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Media_of_Hong_Kong" title="Media of Hong Kong">Media</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Music_of_Hong_Kong" title="Music of Hong Kong">Music</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cantonese_opera" title="Cantonese opera">Opera</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Hong_Kong" title="Public holidays in Hong Kong">Public holidays</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shopping_in_Hong_Kong" title="Shopping in Hong Kong">Shopping</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sport_in_Hong_Kong" title="Sport in Hong Kong">Sport</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong_literature" title="Hong Kong literature">Literature</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Visual_art_of_Hong_Kong" title="Visual art of Hong Kong">Visual art</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong_slang" title="Hong Kong slang">Slang</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="background: #E9E9E9;"> Other Hong Kong topics</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Hong_Kong" title="Economy of Hong Kong">Economy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Education_in_Hong_Kong" title="Education in Hong Kong">Education</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Geography_of_Hong_Kong" title="Geography of Hong Kong">Geography</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_Hong_Kong" title="History of Hong Kong">History</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Politics_of_Hong_Kong" title="Politics of Hong Kong">Politics</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Demographics_and_culture_of_Hong_Kong" title="Template:Demographics and culture of Hong Kong"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Demographics_and_culture_of_Hong_Kong" title="Template talk:Demographics and culture of Hong Kong"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Demographics_and_culture_of_Hong_Kong" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Demographics and culture of Hong Kong"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/British_National_(Overseas)" title="British National (Overseas)">British National (Overseas)</a></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong_Act_1985" title="Hong Kong Act 1985">Hong Kong Act 1985</a> created an additional category of <a href="/wiki/British_nationality_law" title="British nationality law">British nationality</a> known as <i><a href="/wiki/British_National_(Overseas)" title="British National (Overseas)">British National (Overseas)</a></i> or <i>BN(O)</i>. This new category was available only to Hong Kong BDTCs, and any Hong Kong BDTC who wished to do so would be able to acquire the status of BN(O). The status was non-transferable and available only by application, and the deadline to apply was 30 June 1997. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="British_Overseas_Citizen_status_for_those_who_are_'otherwise_stateless'"><span id="British_Overseas_Citizen_status_for_those_who_are_.27otherwise_stateless.27"></span>British Overseas Citizen status for those who are 'otherwise stateless'</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: British Overseas Citizen status for those who are 'otherwise stateless'"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Any Hong Kong BDTCs who failed to register as a BN(O) by 1 July 1997 and would thereby be rendered stateless (generally because they were a non-ethnic Chinese and therefore could not automatically acquire Chinese nationality), automatically became a <a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_Citizen" class="mw-redirect" title="British Overseas Citizen">British Overseas Citizen</a> under the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="British_Nationality_Selection_Scheme">British Nationality Selection Scheme</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: British Nationality Selection Scheme"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_Selection_Scheme" class="mw-redirect" title="British Nationality Selection Scheme">British Nationality Selection Scheme</a></div> <p>After the <a href="/wiki/Tiananmen_Square_protests_of_1989" class="mw-redirect" title="Tiananmen Square protests of 1989">Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989</a>, many people in Hong Kong began to fear for their future post-1997. Emigration was rampant and a brain-drain was beginning to affect the economy of Hong Kong. To stem the drain, people<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch"><span title="The material near this tag possibly uses too-vague attribution or weasel words. (January 2023)">who?</span></a></i>]</sup> urged the British government to grant full British citizenship to all Hong Kong BDTCs – but this request was never accepted. However, the British did agree to creating the <a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_Selection_Scheme" class="mw-redirect" title="British Nationality Selection Scheme">British Nationality Selection Scheme</a>, which granted to a select 50,000 people and their families the ability to obtain full British citizenship without having to fulfil the ordinary requirements, under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Under the Act, the Home Secretary was required to register any person recommended by the <a href="/wiki/Governor_of_Hong_Kong" title="Governor of Hong Kong">Governor of Hong Kong</a> (as well as the applicant's spouse and minor children) as a British Citizen. Any person who was registered under the act automatically ceased to be a BDTC upon registration as a British Citizen. No person could be registered under the act after 30 June 1997. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Hong_Kong_(War_Wives_and_Widows)_Act_1996"><span id="Hong_Kong_.28War_Wives_and_Widows.29_Act_1996"></span>Hong Kong (War Wives and Widows) Act 1996</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Hong Kong (War Wives and Widows) Act 1996"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Women who had received assurance from the Secretary of State that they would be eligible for settlement in the United Kingdom on the basis of their husband's war service in the defence of Hong Kong may be registered as British Citizens if they were resident in Hong Kong and had not remarried. There is no requirement for the woman to hold (or have held) any form of British nationality. Women registered as British Citizens under this act acquire British citizenship "otherwise than by descent" and thus also their children would be <a href="/wiki/British_Citizen" class="mw-redirect" title="British Citizen">British Citizens</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="British_Nationality_(Hong_Kong)_Act_1997"><span id="British_Nationality_.28Hong_Kong.29_Act_1997"></span>British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Another special group of solely Hong Kong British nationals were the non-Chinese ethnic minorities of Hong Kong. They are primarily immigrants or children of immigrants from Nepal, India and <a href="/wiki/Pakistan" title="Pakistan">Pakistan</a>. After the <a href="/wiki/Handover_of_Hong_Kong" title="Handover of Hong Kong">handover</a> to China, they would not be accepted as inherently being citizens of the People's Republic. They would be left effectively <a href="/wiki/Stateless_person" class="mw-redirect" title="Stateless person">stateless</a> – they would have British nationality and <a href="/wiki/Permanent_residency" title="Permanent residency">permanent residency</a> and right of abode in Hong Kong, but no right of abode in the UK, nor a right to claim <a href="/wiki/Chinese_nationality_law" title="Chinese nationality law">Chinese nationality</a>. </p><p>The ethnic minorities petitioned to be granted full British citizenship,<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and were backed by several politicians <a href="/wiki/Jack_Straw_(politician)" class="mw-redirect" title="Jack Straw (politician)">Jack Straw</a>, then the Shadow Home Secretary said <sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> in a letter to the then Home Secretary <a href="/wiki/Michael_Howard" title="Michael Howard">Michael Howard</a> dated 30 January 1997 that "common sense and common humanity demand that we give these people full British citizenship. The limbo in which they will find themselves in July arises directly from the agreements which Britain made with China". He further stated that a claim that BN(O) status amounted to British nationality "as pure sophistry".<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The subsequently enacted British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> gives them an entitlement to acquire full British citizenship by making an application to register for that status after 1 July 1997. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Nationality,_Immigration_and_Asylum_Act_2002"><span id="Nationality.2C_Immigration_and_Asylum_Act_2002"></span>Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In light of the passing of the <a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_Territories_Act_2002" title="British Overseas Territories Act 2002">British Overseas Territories Act 2002</a>, which made provision to substitute the wording of "British Dependent Territories" with "<a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_Territories" title="British Overseas Territories">British Overseas Territories</a>" in the British Nationality Act 1981 among other new provisions, further clarification was made even though this act did not even apply to Hong Kong. Section 14 of the subsequent Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 stated specifically that a person may not be registered as a <a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_Territories_Citizen" class="mw-redirect" title="British Overseas Territories Citizen">British Overseas Territories Citizen</a> (BOTC) by virtue of a connection with Hong Kong. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Borders,_Citizenship_and_Immigration_Act_2009"><span id="Borders.2C_Citizenship_and_Immigration_Act_2009"></span>Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Borders,_Citizenship_and_Immigration_Act_2009" title="Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009">Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009</a></div> <p>A small group of Hong Kong ethnic minorities had not been eligible for acquiring British citizenship under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 because they were not ordinarily resident in Hong Kong before 4 February 1997 or they were under 18 / 21 years of age, had dual nationality through their parents on or after 4 February 1997, but had lost it upon turning 18/21.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> These BN(O)s lost their second nationality due to changes in the nationality laws of certain countries and had, therefore, become de facto stateless. They could register to become <a href="/wiki/British_citizens" class="mw-redirect" title="British citizens">British citizens</a> under section 4B of the <a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_Act_1981" title="British Nationality Act 1981">British Nationality Act 1981</a> as amended by <a href="/wiki/Borders,_Citizenship_and_Immigration_Act_2009" title="Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009">Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009</a> to "remedy the limbo status of probably the last remaining group of solely British nationals who have no other nationality or citizenship, who have not recently and deliberately given up another nationality or citizenship".<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> To be eligible for registration, they must demonstrate that they had not lost, through action or inaction, any other nationality on and after 19 March 2009.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Registration under s4B confers British citizenship by descent. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Chinese_view_on_nationality_of_Hong_Kong_residents">Chinese view on nationality of Hong Kong residents</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Chinese view on nationality of Hong Kong residents"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/38px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="38" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/57px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/76px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="410" data-file-height="430" /></span></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist"><a href="/wiki/Wikisource" title="Wikisource">Wikisource</a> has original text related to this article: <div style="margin-left: 10px;"><b><a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/zh:%E5%85%A8%E5%9C%8B%E4%BA%BA%E6%B0%91%E4%BB%A3%E8%A1%A8%E5%A4%A7%E6%9C%83%E5%B8%B8%E5%8B%99%E5%A7%94%E5%93%A1%E6%9C%83%E9%97%9C%E6%96%BC%E3%80%8A%E4%B8%AD%E8%8F%AF%E4%BA%BA%E6%B0%91%E5%85%B1%E5%92%8C%E5%9C%8B%E5%9C%8B%E7%B1%8D%E6%B3%95%E3%80%8B%E5%9C%A8%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E7%89%B9%E5%88%A5%E8%A1%8C%E6%94%BF%E5%8D%80%E5%AF%A6%E6%96%BD%E7%9A%84%E5%B9%BE%E5%80%8B%E5%95%8F%E9%A1%8C%E7%9A%84%E8%A7%A3%E9%87%8B" class="extiw" title="wikisource:zh:全國人民代表大會常務委員會關於《中華人民共和國國籍法》在香港特別行政區實施的幾個問題的解釋">zh:全國人民代表大會常務委員會關於《中華人民共和國國籍法》在香港特別行政區實施的幾個問題的解釋</a></b></div></div></div> </div> <p>The Chinese government stated in its memorandum of the <a href="/wiki/Sino-British_Joint_Declaration" title="Sino-British Joint Declaration">Sino-British Joint Declaration</a> on December 19, 1984, that under the <a href="/wiki/Chinese_nationality_law" title="Chinese nationality law">Chinese nationality law</a>, "all Hong Kong Chinese compatriots, whether they are holders of the 'British Dependent Territories Citizens' Passport' or not, are Chinese nationals".<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 1990, when the <a href="/wiki/Gulf_War" title="Gulf War">Gulf War</a> started, the Chinese embassy provided a proof of Chinese citizenship to a Hong Kong Chinese businessman in Kuwait holding a BDTC passport and helped him evacuate.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Chinese_nationality_law" title="Chinese nationality law">Chinese nationality law</a> has applied in Hong Kong since the handover on 1 July 1997. Hong Kong BDTC status ceased to exist and cannot be regained. An interpretation for implementing Chinese nationality law for Hong Kong was presented at the Nineteenth Session of the Standing Committee of the Eighth <a href="/wiki/National_People%27s_Congress" title="National People's Congress">National People's Congress</a> on 15 May 1996, a year prior to the Hong Kong handover and came into effect on 1 July 1997. The explanations concerning the implementation of the nationality of Hong Kong citizens is that Hong Kong citizens of Chinese descent are Chinese nationals whether or not they have acquired other foreign citizenship(s). Where such Chinese nationals resident in Hong Kong undergo a change of citizenship (e.g. in accordance with Article 9 of the Nationality Law, which provides that a person who becomes <i>settled</i> in a foreign country <i>and</i> acquires foreign citizenship loses his or her Chinese citizenship - Hong Kong is not recognised as foreign territory, before or after 1 July 1997), this must be declared to immigration authorities to be recognised under Chinese nationality law. </p><p>British nationality acquired in Hong Kong – including BN(O) and under the British Nationality Selection Scheme – are specifically not recognised as a change of nationality because they did not occur after the person became <i>settled</i> in a foreign country. Therefore, a Hong Kong resident who had acquired non-Chinese citizenship would still be recognised as a Chinese citizen after 1 July 1997 (effectively becoming a <a href="/wiki/Dual_nationality" class="mw-redirect" title="Dual nationality">dual national</a>), but if that person declares the change of nationality to immigration authorities, they would effectively cease to be a Chinese national. </p><p>This is reflected in the position the <a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong_Immigration_Department" class="mw-redirect" title="Hong Kong Immigration Department">Hong Kong Immigration Department</a> has on Hong Kong permanent residents of Chinese nationality who were Hong Kong permanent residents immediately before 1 July 1997 and hold non-Chinese nationality or citizenship. Those who were permanent residents before the Handover continue to enjoy right of abode in Hong Kong whether they have remained overseas for long time or hold foreign nationality. They however, will not enjoy foreign consular protection in Hong Kong as long as they do not declare a change of nationality to the Immigration Department.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Recent_groups_eligible_for_a_form_of_British_nationality">Recent groups eligible for a form of British nationality</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Recent groups eligible for a form of British nationality"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="British_citizenship_for_non-ethnic_Chinese_which_were_wrongfully_denied">British citizenship for non-ethnic Chinese which were wrongfully denied</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: British citizenship for non-ethnic Chinese which were wrongfully denied"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In February 2006, in response to representations made by Lord Avebury and Tameem Ebrahim,<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> British authorities announced that six hundred British citizenship applications of ethnic minority children of Indian descent from Hong Kong were wrongly refused.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The applications dated from the period July 1997 onwards. Where the applicant in such cases confirms that he or she still wishes to receive British citizenship the decision will be reconsidered on request. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="British_Overseas_Citizen_status/citizenship_for_certain_ethnic_Indians_(new_Indian_law)"><span id="British_Overseas_Citizen_status.2Fcitizenship_for_certain_ethnic_Indians_.28new_Indian_law.29"></span>British Overseas Citizen status/citizenship for certain ethnic Indians (new Indian law)</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: British Overseas Citizen status/citizenship for certain ethnic Indians (new Indian law)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Recent changes to India's <i>Citizenship Act, 1955</i> (see <a href="/wiki/Indian_nationality_law" title="Indian nationality law">Indian nationality law</a>) provide that Indian citizenship by descent can no longer be acquired automatically at the time of birth. This amendment will also allow some children of Indian origin born in Hong Kong after 3 December 2004 who have a BN(O) or BOC parent to automatically acquire BOC status at birth under the provisions for reducing statelessness in <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080226205835/http://www.britishcitizen.info/StatelessReductionProvisions.pdf">articles 6(2) and 6(3) of the <i>Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order, 1986</i></a>. If they have acquired no other nationality after birth, they will be entitled to register for full British citizenship.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Reinterpretation_of_Nepali_nationality_law">Reinterpretation of Nepali nationality law</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Reinterpretation of Nepali nationality law"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Recent clarification of <a href="/wiki/Nepali_nationality_law" title="Nepali nationality law">Nepali nationality law</a> has meant a number of persons born in Hong Kong who failed to renounce their British nationality before the age of 21 and were previously thought to be citizens of Nepal are in fact solely British. The British Government has recently accepted that certain Nepalese passport holders born in Hong Kong before 30 June 1976 are BOCs,<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and can register for British citizenship if they wish to do so. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="British_citizenship_for_British_Nationals_(Overseas)_who_are_otherwise_stateless"><span id="British_citizenship_for_British_Nationals_.28Overseas.29_who_are_otherwise_stateless"></span>British citizenship for British Nationals (Overseas) who are otherwise stateless</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: British citizenship for British Nationals (Overseas) who are otherwise stateless"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The passage of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 provides a path for British Nationals (Overseas) who had no other citizenship before 19 March 2009 to apply for British citizenship under s. 4B of the British Nationality Act 1981. To qualify, they must demonstrate that they had not lost or renounced any other nationalities, through action or inaction, on or after 19 March 2009. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Future_of_the_British_National_(Overseas)_status"><span id="Future_of_the_British_National_.28Overseas.29_status"></span>Future of the British National (Overseas) status</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Future of the British National (Overseas) status"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Peter_Goldsmith,_Baron_Goldsmith" title="Peter Goldsmith, Baron Goldsmith">Lord Goldsmith</a> discussed the BN(O) issue in his citizenship review in 2008.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He regarded the BN(O) status as "anomalous" in the history of British nationality law, but saw no alternative to preserving this status.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>However, Goldsmith stated in February 2020:<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> “I want to make it clear: I never intended my report on citizenship to be a statement on any opinion by me that there would be a breach of the arrangements with China if the UK were to offer greater rights,” he said. “I do not see why the UK government would be in breach of any obligation undertaken in the Joint Declaration were it to resolve to extend full right of abode to BN(O) passport holders while continuing to honour their side of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.” </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Hong_Kong_BN(O)_Visa"><span id="Hong_Kong_BN.28O.29_Visa"></span>Hong Kong BN(O) Visa</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Hong Kong BN(O) Visa"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/British_National_(Overseas)" title="British National (Overseas)">British Nationals (Overseas)</a> do not have the right of abode anywhere including the UK. From 31 January 2021, BN(O) citizens can apply for limited leave to remain to work or study in the UK for up to 5 years, and become eligible for settled status after 5 years of qualifying residence. BN(O) citizens with settled status can register as British citizens after an additional 12 months.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The settlement scheme was launched after the imposition of the controversial <a href="/wiki/2020_Hong_Kong_national_security_law" title="2020 Hong Kong national security law">national security law</a> on Hong Kong by the Chinese Central government. The UK considers the enactment of the National Security Law a "clear and serious violation" of the <a href="/wiki/One_country,_two_systems" title="One country, two systems">one country, two systems</a> principle guaranteed in the <a href="/wiki/Sino-British_Joint_Declaration" title="Sino-British Joint Declaration">Sino-British Joint Declaration</a>, an international binding treaty signed in 1984.<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_passport" title="British passport">British passport</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_National_(Overseas)_passport" title="British National (Overseas) passport">British National (Overseas) passport</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_British_nationality_law" title="History of British nationality law">History of British nationality law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong_Special_Administrative_Region_passport" title="Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport">Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Exit-Entry_Permit_for_Travelling_to_and_from_Hong_Kong_and_Macao" class="mw-redirect" title="Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao">Exit & Entry Permit</a> – issued by the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Hong Kong and Macao residents for entry to Taiwan</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Right_of_abode_in_Hong_Kong" title="Right of abode in Hong Kong">Right of abode in Hong Kong</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hongkongers" title="Hongkongers">Hongkongers</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Government_documents">Government documents</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: Government documents"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080405223352/http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/citizenship-report-full.pdf">Lord Goldsmith QC Citizenship Review <i>Citizenship: Our Common Bond</i></a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1138870241398">British citizenship information for persons from Hong Kong of Indian origin</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1138870243763">British citizenship information for persons from Hong Kong of Nepalese origin</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldlwa/060228wa1.pdf">Home Office letter to Lord Avebury, confirming that more than 600 applications for British citizenship from Hong Kong were wrongly refused</a></li> <li>British government statement confirming <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2007-01-23a.213.6&s=section%3Awrans+speaker%3A12876#g213.7">which persons born in Hong Kong before 1949 acquired British nationality</a></li> <li>British government statement confirming <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2007-01-18a.173.0&s=section%3Awrans+speaker%3A12876#g173.1">which persons born in Hong Kong between 1949 and 1982 acquired British nationality</a></li> <li>British government statement confirming <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2007-01-18a.173.3&s=section%3Awrans+speaker%3A12876#g173.4">which persons born in Hong Kong between 1983 and 1997 acquired British nationality</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070930153728/http://www.gnn.gov.uk/content/detail.asp?NewsAreaID=2&ReleaseID=174346">SUPPORTING BRITISH NATIONALS ABROAD: A GUIDE TO CONSULAR ASSISTANCE</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20100625235545/http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/reciprocity/reciprocity_3699.html">Reciprocity Schedule (United Kingdom), United States</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20100626003656/http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/reciprocity/reciprocity_3579.html">Reciprocity Schedule (Hong Kong), United States</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEcwW0yuuwA">BN(O) passport TV advertisement in 1994</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Legislation">Legislation</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: Legislation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>British Nationality Acts: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.uniset.ca/naty/BNA1981revd.htm">1981</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.uniset.ca/naty/BNA1965.htm">1965</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.uniset.ca/naty/BNA1964.htm">1964</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.uniset.ca/naty/BNA1958.htm">1958</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.uniset.ca/naty/BNA1948.htm">1948</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.uniset.ca/naty/BNA1772.htm">1772</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.uniset.ca/naty/BNA1730.htm">1730</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081003045618/http://www.britishcitizen.info/HKBNO1986.pdf">Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080226205835/http://www.britishcitizen.info/StatelessReductionProvisions.pdf">Provisions for reducing statelessness in Article 6 of the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Newspapers/Commentaries"><span id="Newspapers.2FCommentaries"></span>Newspapers/Commentaries</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: Newspapers/Commentaries"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070103185619/http://www.hku.hk/hkcsp/ccex/ehkcss01/issue2_ar_ma_01.htm">The Transition of Hong Kong People's Nationality after World War II by Michiko Ai</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070929093302/http://www.dab.org.hk/en/main.jsp?content=article-content.jsp&categoryId=1205&articleId=168">Nationality of the Chief Executive of the SAR</a>, <a href="/wiki/Democratic_Alliance_for_the_Betterment_of_Hong_Kong" class="mw-redirect" title="Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong">Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070510092328/http://www1.appledaily.atnext.com/template/apple/art_main.cfm?iss_id=20070407&sec_id=4104&subsec_id=11867&art_id=6979745">數字話當年 450萬人持特區護照</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Apple_Daily" title="Apple Daily">Apple Daily</a></i></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://paper.wenweipo.com/2007/04/20/PL0704200010.htm">BNO逐漸走進香港歷史</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Wen_Wei_Po" title="Wen Wei Po">Wen Wei Po</a></i></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080419225620/http://www.mingpaosf.com/htm/News/20070601/HK-gfk1.htm">BNO護照≠英籍</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Mingpao" class="mw-redirect" title="Mingpao">Mingpao</a></i></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080528160200/http://www.ilpa.org.uk/submissions/Citizenship%20Review.doc">SUBMISSION TO LORD GOLDSMITH FOR THE CITIZENSHIP REVIEW: THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF BRITISH NATIONALITY, Immigration Law Practitioners' Association</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=26" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-LEGISLATION.GO-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-LEGISLATION.GO_1-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/11-12/56/section/33/enacted">"British Nationality Act 1948 section 33"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=British+Nationality+Act+1948+section+33&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.legislation.gov.uk%2Fukpga%2FGeo6%2F11-12%2F56%2Fsection%2F33%2Fenacted&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-original_act_doc-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-original_act_doc_2-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://parliament.gov.gy/documents/regulations/21644-british_nationality_regulations_1948.pdf">"British Nationality Act of 1948"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=British+Nationality+Act+of+1948&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fparliament.gov.gy%2Fdocuments%2Fregulations%2F21644-british_nationality_regulations_1948.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/948/article/6/made">"Article 6(1), <i>Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order, 1986</i>"</a>. <i>legislation.gov.uk</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">24 September</span> 2023</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=legislation.gov.uk&rft.atitle=Article+6%281%29%2C+Hong+Kong+%28British+Nationality%29+Order%2C+1986&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.legislation.gov.uk%2Fuksi%2F1986%2F948%2Farticle%2F6%2Fmade&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/34/contents">Text of the British Nationality Act (Hong Kong) 1990</a> as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from <a href="/wiki/Legislation.gov.uk" title="Legislation.gov.uk">legislation.gov.uk</a>. </span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/41/contents">Text of the Hong Kong (War Wives and Widows) Act 1996</a> as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from <a href="/wiki/Legislation.gov.uk" title="Legislation.gov.uk">legislation.gov.uk</a>. </span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.journalism.sfsu.edu/www/pubs/prism/nov95/03.html">A Pasage to Nowhere</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20050910112715/http://www.journalism.sfsu.edu/www/pubs/prism/nov95/03.html">Archived</a> 10 September 2005 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a> (Prism Nov 1995) <i>accessed 1 Aug 2010</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120426104019/http://www2.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=48962">"Labour Call for British Citizenship for Hong Kong Ethnic Asians"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=48962">the original</a> on 26 April 2012<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">18 August</span> 2005</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Labour+Call+for+British+Citizenship+for+Hong+Kong+Ethnic+Asians&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prnewswire.co.uk%2Fcgi%2Fnews%2Frelease%3Fid%3D48962&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a href="/wiki/The_Economist" title="The Economist">The Economist</a></i> also said that "the failure to offer citizenship to most of Hong Kong's residents was shameful", and "it was the height of cynicism to hand 6 million people over to a regime of proven brutality without allowing them any means to move elsewhere." The article also stated that the real reason that the new Labour government still refused to give full British citizenship to other BDTCs was because if the UK waited until Hong Kong had been disposed of it "would be seen as highly cynical", as <a href="/wiki/Elizabeth_Symons,_Baroness_Symons_of_Vernham_Dean" title="Elizabeth Symons, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean">The Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean</a>, a <a href="/wiki/Foreign_Office" class="mw-redirect" title="Foreign Office">Foreign Office</a> minister, conceded. ("Britain's colonial obligations", 3 July 1997, <i><a href="/wiki/The_Economist" title="The Economist">The Economist</a></i>)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/20/contents">Text of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997</a> as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from <a href="/wiki/Legislation.gov.uk" title="Legislation.gov.uk">legislation.gov.uk</a>. </span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-nationality-hong-kong-act-1997-nationality-policy-guidance">"Registration as a British citizen: British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997"</a>. <i>GOV.UK</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=GOV.UK&rft.atitle=Registration+as+a+British+citizen%3A+British+Nationality+%28Hong+Kong%29+Act+1997&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fbritish-nationality-hong-kong-act-1997-nationality-policy-guidance&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Lord_Avebury" class="mw-redirect" title="Lord Avebury">Lord Avebury</a> in the <a href="/wiki/House_of_Lords" title="House of Lords">House of Lords</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/other-british-nationals-nationality-policy-guidance">"Registration as a British citizen: other British nationals"</a>. <i>GOV.UK</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=GOV.UK&rft.atitle=Registration+as+a+British+citizen%3A+other+British+nationals&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fother-british-nationals-nationality-policy-guidance&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.cmab.gov.hk/en/issues/jd6.htm">"The Joint Declaration - Memoranda (Exchanged Between the Two Sides)"</a>. Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">17 April</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Joint+Declaration+-+Memoranda+%28Exchanged+Between+the+Two+Sides%29&rft.pub=Constitutional+and+Mainland+Affairs+Bureau%2C+The+Government+of+the+Hong+Kong+Special+Administrative+Region&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cmab.gov.hk%2Fen%2Fissues%2Fjd6.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDong_Likun2016" class="citation book cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Dong Likun, ed. (2016). <i>中國內地與香港地區法律的衝突與協調</i> [<i>Conflict and Coordination of Laws of Mainland China and Hong Kong</i>] (in Chinese). Chung Hwa Book Company (Hong Kong). pp. 181–182.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E5%85%A7%E5%9C%B0%E8%88%87%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E5%9C%B0%E5%8D%80%E6%B3%95%E5%BE%8B%E7%9A%84%E8%A1%9D%E7%AA%81%E8%88%87%E5%8D%94%E8%AA%BF&rft.pages=181-182&rft.pub=Chung+Hwa+Book+Company+%28Hong+Kong%29&rft.date=2016&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/residents/immigration/roa/eligible-position-chinese-hold-foreign-passports.html">"The Position of Residents (including Former Residents) of Chinese Nationality who were Permanent Residents Immediately Before 1 July 1997 and Hold Foreign Passports | Immigration Department"</a>. <i>www.immd.gov.hk</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=www.immd.gov.hk&rft.atitle=The+Position+of+Residents+%28including+Former+Residents%29+of+Chinese+Nationality+who+were+Permanent+Residents+Immediately+Before+1+July+1997+and+Hold+Foreign+Passports+%26%23124%3B+Immigration+Department&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.immd.gov.hk%2Feng%2Fresidents%2Fimmigration%2Froa%2Feligible-position-chinese-hold-foreign-passports.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110607061132/http://www.britishcitizen.info/CitizenshipDenied_HO_Submission.pdf">"representations made by Lord Avebury and Tameem Ebrahim, 6 December 2004 (Accessed 1 Aug 2010)"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.britishcitizen.info/CitizenshipDenied_HO_Submission.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 7 June 2011<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">25 August</span> 2009</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=representations+made+by+Lord+Avebury+and+Tameem+Ebrahim%2C+6+December+2004+%28Accessed+1+Aug+2010%29&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishcitizen.info%2FCitizenshipDenied_HO_Submission.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldlwa/060228wa1.pdf">"British citizenship applications of ethnic minority children of Indian descent from Hong Kong wrongly refused"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=British+citizenship+applications+of+ethnic+minority+children+of+Indian+descent+from+Hong+Kong+wrongly+refused&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fpublications.parliament.uk%2Fpa%2Fld200506%2Fldlwa%2F060228wa1.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199900/ldhansrd/pdvn/lds04/text/41220w04.htm#column_WA123">"Page cannot be found"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Page+cannot+be+found&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fpublications.parliament.uk%2Fpa%2Fld199900%2Fldhansrd%2Fpdvn%2Flds04%2Ftext%2F41220w04.htm%23column_WA123&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-office">"Foreign & Commonwealth Office"</a>. <i>GOV.UK</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=GOV.UK&rft.atitle=Foreign+%26+Commonwealth+Office&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Forganisations%2Fforeign-commonwealth-office&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080405223352/http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/citizenship-report-full.pdf">"Citizenship, our common bond"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. 5 April 2008. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/citizenship-report-full.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 5 April 2008.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Citizenship%2C+our+common+bond&rft.date=2008-04-05&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.justice.gov.uk%2Fdocs%2Fcitizenship-report-full.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"Nonetheless to remove this status without putting something significant in its place would be seen as the British reneging on their promise to the people of Hong Kong. The only option which would be characterized as fair would be to offer existing BN(O) holders the right to gain full British citizenship. It is likely that many would not take this up as the prospects economic and fiscal of moving to the UK are not favourable to those well-established in Hong Kong. However, I am advised that this would be a breach of the commitments made between China and the UK in the 1984 Joint Declaration on the future of Hong Kong, an international treaty between the two countries; and that to secure Chinese agreement to vary the terms of that treaty would not be possible. On that basis, I see no alternative but to preserve this one anomalous category of citizenship": Chapter 4, paragraph 12.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3051995/britain-could-give-hong-kong-bno-passport-holders-right-abode">"Britain 'could give Hong Kong BN(O) passport holders' right of abode"</a>. <i>South China Morning Post</i>. 24 February 2020.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=South+China+Morning+Post&rft.atitle=Britain+%27could+give+Hong+Kong+BN%28O%29+passport+holders%27+right+of+abode&rft.date=2020-02-24&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scmp.com%2Fnews%2Fchina%2Fdiplomacy%2Farticle%2F3051995%2Fbritain-could-give-hong-kong-bno-passport-holders-right-abode&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gov.uk/british-national-overseas-bno-visa">"British National (Overseas) visa"</a>. <i>GOV.UK</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">3 October</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=GOV.UK&rft.atitle=British+National+%28Overseas%29+visa&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fbritish-national-overseas-bno-visa&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-24">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/how-a-british-passport-offers-escape-for-hong-kongers-quicktake/2022/05/27/2c9db2a2-dd9c-11ec-bc35-a91d0a94923b_story.html">"Analysis | How a British Passport Offers Escape for Hong Kongers: QuickTake"</a>. <i>Washington Post</i>. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0190-8286">0190-8286</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">3 October</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Washington+Post&rft.atitle=Analysis+%7C+How+a+British+Passport+Offers+Escape+for+Hong+Kongers%3A+QuickTake&rft.issn=0190-8286&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fbusiness%2Fhow-a-british-passport-offers-escape-for-hong-kongers-quicktake%2F2022%2F05%2F27%2F2c9db2a2-dd9c-11ec-bc35-a91d0a94923b_story.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-52844353">"Hong Kong: What is the BNO and what does the UK move mean?"</a>. <i>BBC News</i>. 29 May 2020<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">3 October</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=BBC+News&rft.atitle=Hong+Kong%3A+What+is+the+BNO+and+what+does+the+UK+move+mean%3F&rft.date=2020-05-29&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fnews%2Fworld-asia-china-52844353&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-protests-britain-idUSKBN2425LL">"UK says China's security law is serious violation of Hong Kong treaty"</a>. <i>Reuters</i>. 1 July 2020<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">3 October</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Reuters&rft.atitle=UK+says+China%27s+security+law+is+serious+violation+of+Hong+Kong+treaty&rft.date=2020-07-01&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-hongkong-protests-britain-idUSKBN2425LL&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+nationality+law+and+Hong+Kong" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&action=edit&section=27" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>張勇、陳玉田：《<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.cp1897.com.hk/product_info.php?BookId=9620421744">香港居民的國籍問題</a>》（出版社：三聯書店（香港）） (Chinese) <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789620421747" title="Special:BookSources/9789620421747">9789620421747</a></li> <li>《修改英國國籍法的深刻教訓》, <a href="/wiki/Leung_Chun_Ying" class="mw-redirect" title="Leung Chun Ying">Leung Chun Ying</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Mingpao" class="mw-redirect" title="Mingpao">Mingpao</a></i>, 16 March 2007</li> <li>《人心尚未回歸國人仍需努力》, <a href="/wiki/Leung_Chun_Ying" class="mw-redirect" title="Leung Chun Ying">Leung Chun Ying</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Mingpao" class="mw-redirect" title="Mingpao">Mingpao</a></i>, 1 June 2007</li> <li>Ng Chi-sum, Jane C.Y. Lee and Qu Ayang, <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/39666462">Nationality and Right of Abode of Hong Kong Residents – Continuity and Change before and after 1997</a></i>, 1997, Centre of Asian Studies, Hong Kong University (吳志森, 李正儀, 曲阿陽. 香港居民的國籍和居留權 : 1997年前後的延續與轉變; book in Chinese) <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789628269037" title="Special:BookSources/9789628269037">9789628269037</a></li> <li><i>Britain's colonial obligations</i>, <i><a href="/wiki/The_Economist" title="The Economist">The Economist</a></i>, 3 July 1997</li> <li><i>The colonies—Leftovers</i>, <i><a href="/wiki/The_Economist" title="The Economist">The Economist</a></i>, 3 July 1997</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/aug/13/uk-british-nationality-hong-kong-citizens-tom-tugendhat">UK should give British nationality to Hong Kong citizens, Tugendhat says</a></li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="British_nationality_law" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:British_nationality_law" title="Template:British nationality law"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:British_nationality_law" title="Template talk:British nationality law"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:British_nationality_law" title="Special:EditPage/Template:British nationality law"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="British_nationality_law" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/British_nationality_law" title="British nationality law">British nationality law</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Nationality</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.25em;font-weight:normal;">Principal</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_nationality_law" title="British nationality law">British citizen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_Territories_citizen" title="British Overseas Territories citizen">British Overseas Territories citizen</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.25em;font-weight:normal;">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_subject" title="British subject">British subject</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_citizen" title="British Overseas citizen">British Overseas citizen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_National_(Overseas)" title="British National (Overseas)">British National (Overseas)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_protected_person" title="British protected person">British protected person</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_citizen" title="Commonwealth citizen">Commonwealth citizen</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Legislation</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0;padding:0;"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.25em;font-weight:normal;">Current</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_Act_1981" title="British Nationality Act 1981">British Nationality Act 1981</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Overseas_Territories_Act_2002" title="British Overseas Territories Act 2002">British Overseas Territories Act 2002</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Immigration,_Asylum_and_Nationality_Act_2006" title="Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006">Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.25em;font-weight:normal;">Previous</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Sophia_Naturalization_Act_1705" title="Sophia Naturalization Act 1705">Sophia Naturalization Act 1705</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_Act_1948" title="British Nationality Act 1948">British Nationality Act 1948</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ireland_Act_1949" title="Ireland Act 1949">Ireland Act 1949</a></li> <li>Commonwealth Immigrants Act of <a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_Immigrants_Act_1962" title="Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962">1962</a> and <a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_Immigrants_Act_1968" title="Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968">1968</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Immigration_Act_1971" title="Immigration Act 1971">Immigration Act 1971</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_(Falkland_Islands)_Act_1983" title="British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983">British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/History_of_British_nationality_law" title="History of British nationality law">History</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_Nationality_(Hong_Kong)_Selection_Scheme" title="British Nationality (Hong Kong) Selection Scheme">British Nationality Selection Scheme</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_subject" title="British subject">Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_nationality_law_and_the_Republic_of_Ireland" title="British nationality law and the Republic of Ireland">British nationality law and the Republic of Ireland</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">British nationality law and Hong Kong</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Immigration</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Indefinite_leave_to_remain" title="Indefinite leave to remain">Indefinite leave to remain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Right_of_abode_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Right of abode in the United Kingdom">Right of abode</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belonger_status" title="Belonger status">Belonger status</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Common_Travel_Area" title="Common Travel Area">Common Travel Area</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_UK_immigration_control" title="History of UK immigration control">History of UK immigration control</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Home_Office_hostile_environment_policy" title="Home Office hostile environment policy">Home Office hostile environment policy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_Settlement_Scheme" title="European Union Settlement Scheme">EU Settlement Scheme</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&oldid=1251235672">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&oldid=1251235672</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:British_nationality_law" title="Category:British nationality law">British nationality law</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Immigration_to_the_United_Kingdom" title="Category:Immigration to the United Kingdom">Immigration to the United Kingdom</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Foreign_relations_of_Hong_Kong" title="Category:Foreign relations of Hong Kong">Foreign relations of Hong Kong</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:History_of_Hong_Kong" title="Category:History of Hong Kong">History of Hong Kong</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:International_travel_documents" title="Category:International travel documents">International travel documents</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:British_Hong_Kong" title="Category:British Hong Kong">British Hong Kong</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Hong_Kong_travel_documents" title="Category:Hong Kong travel documents">Hong Kong travel documents</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:China%E2%80%93United_Kingdom_relations" title="Category:China–United Kingdom relations">China–United Kingdom relations</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Chinese_community_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Category:Chinese community in the United Kingdom">Chinese community in the United Kingdom</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Acts_of_the_Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom_concerning_Hong_Kong" title="Category:Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning Hong Kong">Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning Hong Kong</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Hong_Kong_and_the_Commonwealth_of_Nations" title="Category:Hong Kong and the Commonwealth of Nations">Hong Kong and the Commonwealth of Nations</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Webarchive_template_wayback_links" title="Category:Webarchive template wayback links">Webarchive template wayback links</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:CS1_Chinese-language_sources_(zh)" title="Category:CS1 Chinese-language sources (zh)">CS1 Chinese-language sources (zh)</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_matches_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description matches Wikidata">Short description matches Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_needing_additional_references_from_January_2020" title="Category:Articles needing additional references from January 2020">Articles needing additional references from January 2020</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:All_articles_needing_additional_references" title="Category:All articles needing additional references">All articles needing additional references</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:EngvarB_from_July_2014" title="Category:EngvarB from July 2014">EngvarB from July 2014</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Use_dmy_dates_from_July_2014" title="Category:Use dmy dates from July 2014">Use dmy dates from July 2014</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:All_articles_with_unsourced_statements" title="Category:All articles with unsourced statements">All articles with unsourced statements</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_unsourced_statements_from_August_2010" title="Category:Articles with unsourced statements from August 2010">Articles with unsourced statements from August 2010</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:All_articles_with_specifically_marked_weasel-worded_phrases" title="Category:All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases">All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_specifically_marked_weasel-worded_phrases_from_January_2023" title="Category:Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from January 2023">Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from January 2023</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 15 October 2024, at 02:36<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms_of_Use" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms of Use">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy">Privacy Policy</a>. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/">Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.</a>, a non-profit organization.</li> </ul> <ul id="footer-places"> <li id="footer-places-privacy"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy">Privacy policy</a></li> <li id="footer-places-about"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About">About Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-disclaimers"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer">Disclaimers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-contact"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us">Contact Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-wm-codeofconduct"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Universal_Code_of_Conduct">Code of Conduct</a></li> <li id="footer-places-developers"><a href="https://developer.wikimedia.org">Developers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-statslink"><a href="https://stats.wikimedia.org/#/en.wikipedia.org">Statistics</a></li> <li id="footer-places-cookiestatement"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Cookie_statement">Cookie statement</a></li> <li id="footer-places-mobileview"><a href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong&mobileaction=toggle_view_mobile" class="noprint stopMobileRedirectToggle">Mobile view</a></li> </ul> <ul id="footer-icons" class="noprint"> <li id="footer-copyrightico"><a href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg" width="84" height="29" alt="Wikimedia Foundation" loading="lazy"></a></li> <li id="footer-poweredbyico"><a href="https://www.mediawiki.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/w/resources/assets/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" alt="Powered by MediaWiki" width="88" height="31" loading="lazy"></a></li> </ul> </footer> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-settings" id="p-dock-bottom"> <ul></ul> </div><script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.config.set({"wgHostname":"mw-web.codfw.canary-84779d6bf6-wgwwp","wgBackendResponseTime":147,"wgPageParseReport":{"limitreport":{"cputime":"0.681","walltime":"0.931","ppvisitednodes":{"value":2827,"limit":1000000},"postexpandincludesize":{"value":89760,"limit":2097152},"templateargumentsize":{"value":6078,"limit":2097152},"expansiondepth":{"value":14,"limit":100},"expensivefunctioncount":{"value":11,"limit":500},"unstrip-depth":{"value":1,"limit":20},"unstrip-size":{"value":109930,"limit":5000000},"entityaccesscount":{"value":0,"limit":400},"timingprofile":["100.00% 818.603 1 -total"," 27.00% 221.019 1 Template:Reflist"," 19.02% 155.702 15 Template:Cite_web"," 15.42% 126.254 1 Template:British_subjects"," 14.66% 120.018 2 Template:Sidebar"," 12.63% 103.352 1 Template:Short_description"," 9.71% 79.467 1 Template:More_citations_needed"," 9.03% 73.923 1 Template:Ambox"," 6.12% 50.106 1 Template:Wikisource"," 6.09% 49.828 2 Template:Pagetype"]},"scribunto":{"limitreport-timeusage":{"value":"0.409","limit":"10.000"},"limitreport-memusage":{"value":7635762,"limit":52428800}},"cachereport":{"origin":"mw-web.codfw.main-f69cdc8f6-rlhbk","timestamp":"20241122143339","ttl":2592000,"transientcontent":false}}});});</script> <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Article","name":"British nationality law and Hong Kong","url":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong","sameAs":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q4971419","mainEntity":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q4971419","author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Contributors to Wikimedia projects"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.wikimedia.org\/static\/images\/wmf-hor-googpub.png"}},"datePublished":"2005-08-18T15:51:38Z","dateModified":"2024-10-15T02:36:46Z","image":"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/a\/ae\/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg","headline":"status of Hong Kong people in United Kingdom law"}</script> </body> </html>