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British Nationality (Hong Kong) Selection Scheme

The British Nationality Selection Scheme, popularly known in Hong Kong as the British Nationality Selection Scheme (BNSS), was a process whereby the Governor of Hong Kong invited certain classes of people to apply, be considered, and be selected to register as British citizens under the British Nationality Act 1990. The qualifications for eligibility include citizens who were permanent residents of Hong Kong with the right of abode, and who were also considered British nationals under the British Nationality Act 1981, but were not British citizens.

Eligibility criteria
To be considered for registration as a British citizen under section 1(1), a person was required to be settled in Hong Kong and to be one of the following: • A British Dependent Territories Citizen (BDTC) by virtue of a connection with Hong Kong, or an applicant for registration or naturalisation; • A British National (Overseas) (BN(O)), British Overseas Citizen (BOC), British Subject (BS), or British Protected Person (BPP) There were four classes of eligible section 1(1) applicants: • General Occupational Class (GOC), for managers and professionals. • Entrepreneurs Class (EC), for businessmen and women. • Disciplined Services Class (DSC), for Hong Kong civil servants in the police, fire, immigration, customs, and correctional services. • Sensitive Service Class (SSC), for those in public or private sector roles with particular vulnerabilities on account of their positions. Selection of persons in the GOC and DSC classes was primarily based on a "points system". Applicants who, in addition to British nationality, held, claimed or possessed, voluntarily or involuntarily, nationality or citizenship of another country, other than (and excluding) the nationality of the People's Republic of China (PRC), were penalised in the points test, although it was not a bar to acceptance, selection and registration. Spouses and children of family heads who registered under section 1(1) were eligible for registration under section 1(4) regardless of their nationality. However, a spouse who married the family head after that person was registered under section 1(1) was required to be settled in Hong Kong on the date of the marriage to be eligible for registration under section 1(4). ==Nationality status==
Nationality status
Under subsection 2(2) of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990, a BDTC who was successfully registered as a British citizen under BNSS automatically ceased to be a BDTC. While the Act did not specify the loss of applicant's British National (Overseas) status, subsection 4(3) of the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986 specified that BN(O) status would be lost when the applicant ceased to be a BDTC. Hence, those who were registered as British citizens under the BNSS would only hold one class of British nationality. Under Chinese nationality law and the respective explanations made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the British citizenship acquired by Chinese nationals in Hong Kong through BNSS is not recognised. They are not entitled to British consular protection in Hong Kong and other parts of the People's Republic of China. ==See also==
Source: Wikipedia ↗
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