British consular protection enjoyed by BN(O) passport holders outside the PRC and the UK
- For information regarding whether BN(O) passport holders can enjoy British consular protection inside the mainland China, please refer to the article Home Return Permit.
The British Government claims that British National (Overseas) passport holders enjoy the same level of consular service in third countries (outside the UK and PRC) as other British Nationals. [1]
In 2000, the British Government claimed that "Cantonese-speaking staff at the British Consulate-General pay periodic visits to the 80 or so BN(O)s who are in prison in Thailand." [2]
In 2005, the British Consulate-General Hong Kong advertises for renewal of BN(O) passports in some magazines (e.g. HK Magazine) in Hong Kong, saying that "Travel with confidence on your BN(O) passport. Reliable. Secure. And renewable for life."
The Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) claims that BN(O)s who are also PRC citizens can enjoy PRC consular protection in third countries even they travelled on their BN(O) passports. [3]
However, there are doubts regarding the effectiveness of British consular protection for BN(O)s outside the UK and the PRC.
In 1999, it was reported that a Hong Kong resident, who travelled to India on his BN(O) passport, had been wrongly detained for 23 days because his BN(O) passport was suspected by Indian officials to be fake and was certified as a forgery by the British High Commission in Bombay without seeking verification from the relevant authorities (British Consulate-General) in Hong Kong. However, he sought assistance from the PRC Embassy there and the BN(O) passport was verified by the British Consulate-General Hong Kong under pressure of the PRC Government. It was found that his BN(O) passport was genuine. [4] [5] ([6] pp.22-25)
See also
Categories
Foreign relations of Hong Kong | Hong Kong society