Govt Tells Consulates Not To Accept BN(O) Passports

The Hong Kong government has told some foreign consulates to stop accepting the British National (Overseas) passport when people apply for visas, diplomats say.

In a move seen by some envoys as a diplomatic affront, the government informed about a dozen foreign consulates in a letter that it no longer considered the BN(O) passport a valid travel document as of January 31.

The letter demands that Hong Kong passports should be used instead.

"Most countries are going to ignore this," said one senior Western diplomat who had seen the letter.

"It is the Hong Kong government just trying it on...they have no right to tell any state what foreign passports it can recognise."

Another envoy described the move as "bordering on belligerent" and said it was not the way the Hong Kong government, generally mindful of the city's standing as an international financial hub, has traditionally behaved.

A diplomatic row broke out over the BN(O) in January after Britain introduced a new visa scheme offering a pathway to full citizenship for Hongkongers who want to leave the SAR.

Britain launched the scheme after Beijing imposed the sweeping national security law in the territory last year.

Hong Kong also started to mirror the mainland by not recognising dual nationality, preventing for the first time foreign diplomats from visiting locals with foreign passports in detention.

The Hong Kong government has yet to respond to a request for comment. (Reuters)