§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Barobess Scotland of Asthal on 3 March (WA 37), what procedures they have in place at British consulates overseas to avoid statelessness in the cases mentioned where the authorities in the country of birth are unresponsive or unwilling to issue such a confirmation; the local Indonesian or Pakistani consulate is unresponsive or unwilling to issue such a confirmation, or where there is no Indonesian or Pakistani consulate in the country of birth to issue such a letter. [HL1640]
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)I thank the noble Lord for his Question on children born to British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas Citizens who would become British Overseas Citizens if they would otherwise be stateless.
The onus is on the applicant, or the parent of the applicant, to prove that they have no claim to any other nationality. If the consulate of the country concerned is unwilling to issue a letter confirming that the applicant has no claim to the nationality of that country, the applicant would be advised to seek the advice of a lawyer qualified in the law of the country concerned. No procedures have been put in place at British diplomatic missions to confirm that applicants have no claim to the nationality of another country.
§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a British National (Overseas) or British Overseas citizen, by virtue of the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986, resident overseas, can apply to his or her local British Consulate to provide a certificate stating that his or her child born in that country has not acquired British Overseas citizenship at birth. [HL1659]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanWhere a child has not acquired British nationality at birth, British diplomatic missions will, on request, issue a letter to that effect.