gtaco94

Hey Everyone,

I'm currently living in Texas and is confused about British nationality. I found out that it is impossible to find someone to talk to on the phone at the British Consular and as a poor college student, I would love to be able to make overseas calls to the helpline in the UK but couldn't. I was hoping that you guys will have some insight.

So here's the situation,

-I was born in Hong Kong in 1986 (which at the time was controlled by the British.
-I left Hong Kong in 1995 and moved to Australia, at that time I still owned a BNO (British National Overseas) passport (looks exactly like a UK passport).
-I then left for the US in 2004, since my BNO expired, my mum for some reason applied for a Hong Kong SAR passport for me instead.
-That expired a few years back and I now would like to see if I can obtain a BNO again because I know there are some special privileges with holding one over a SAR.
- I still have my old Hong Kong Permanent ID card (Which I believe is required to renew a BNO). However, it was one that was for someone that was under 11 and I'm sure it has expired. But I still have the ID number (not sure if that counts/considered okay).
-I read that once you are a British National, you are one for life and it cannot be lost. I was hoping that it applies to me.
-I am also trying to get US citizenship. I would like to keep dual nationality if possible. I heard that the US used to make you give it up but don't really care anymore.


With all that, here are my questions.

1. I should still be considered a British National right?
2. What can I do (or whether it is even possible) to get a BNO passport?
3. If I get naturalised here in the US, can I maintain dual nationality?
Thanks!

Picnic

Here is a link that you might find useful: http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/help-fo...BNO-passports/.

The page has links to the application form, notes for guidance, fees etc. Obviously it will cost you $$ to make the application but you won't know if you qualify until you try.

ian-mstm

Possibly.


Why not simply apply for a BNO passport? After a while, you'll have your answer one way or the other.


Whether you maintain dual citizenship is dependent on whether or not the other country (not the US) allows you to be a dual citizen when you naturalize in the US. Many countries do - the UK, Canada, Australia, etc. Some do not - Japan, India, Norway. Hong Kong previously allowed dual citizenship, it probably still does.

Ian

Bob

HK can be tricky, depends on nationality and circumstances, not everyone is allowed to have dual nationality.

Japan, does allow dual nationality now, but again depends on the other country and there's a bit of a process to go through first before you get the other nationality, think Germany, but more hassle, apparently.

meauxna

Do you have any linkys for the Japanese situation (for young people) Bob? I've got a friend who's eligible to naturalize to USC but thinks she can't (the info on US Emb Tokyo is extremely vague). The friend has two USC babies (not as cute as yours, of course).

JAJ

It is a UK passport ... just not a British citizen passport. And it's not exactly alike.

At age 18 (or nearly 18) you should have been looking after your own passport, but I digress. So what happened in Australia ... if you were in Australia for nearly 10 years, any reason why you don't have an Australian passport?

British nationality from a territory can be lost when the territory changes hands or becomes independent, like Hong Kong. However, BNO was created to allow British nationals from Hong Kong to continue holding a "British Hong Kong" nationality for life.

So ... if you want a BNO passport, you need to renew your old BNO passport, or if it has been expired for too long, make a 1st time application.


You haven't told us whether or not you have a green card.

Bob

No idea, but a friend of my mother, her daughter is dual national, born in the US, when they worked here. Family are now back in Japan, she's living in England.

It could well be because she didn't naturalise I suppose, or that she's under 22 and hasn't had to decide which to keep yet.

Saying that, the problem with Japan is trying to naturalise as Japanese with a foreign nationality is a no no. If you are Japanese and nationalise with another country, technically it's a no no, but realistically they don't do anything about it, much like the US, you are Japanese to their officials and don't admit to having foreign nationality or they may ask you to decide, but like most countries, it doesn't count unless officially renounced and they very rarely ask that you do that, except if you were involved in criminal activity, they don't want you buggering off and also for any government jobs.

meauxna

ah, thanks.. that's pretty much my understanding, except I can see how travel could be a problem (which pp to present when leaving Japan)... I think I'll leave it to her.

winterbird

If you are a british national before 1997 the hand-over, then you are eligible to apple for a BNO passport, until 2047 - UK signed a 50 years one country two system deal with China.

The Hong Kong SAR passport doesn't affect your apllication for BNO and hong kong citizens are allowed to have dual or triple nationality. I have both passprtd, but use the BNO most because I live in UK and married a EU citizen.

I know if you want to get the BNO passport in US, they need the original copy of your Hong Kong ID card, this might be a problem if you only have the children one. Not to mention the HK ID card has just been updated in recent years.

I'd say, if you only want the BNO for traveling, there's really no difference from the SAR one now, cos the latter is visa free in the whole Europe and most other countries. And BNO has no special privileges in US or even UK - you queue up in the same "rest of the world" passports when you enter UK with a BNO and you don't have right of abode in UK with it either.

If you really want to get that back, the easiest way is to check with British Embassy, if you have an old BNO passport, they will have your record, so you can start with that.

The bottom-line is: yes, you are eligible to get one, but I don't know if it's relevant anymore.