CITIZENSHIP (TEMPORARY RESIDENTS) BRITISH PASSPORTS (Singapore citizens)

"Mr Lim Cher Kheng: To ask the Chief Secretary whether he is aware of the possibility of persons holding temporary identity cards being registered as citizens of Singapore: to state whether a person, after having been registered as a citizen of Singapore, is entitled to be issued with a British passport; and whether he will make a statement."

Pursuant to Standing Order 16 (2), the Chief Secretary supplied the following answer:-

"(a) There is no such thing as a temporary identity card, but where a person is in Singapore only by authority of a limited immigration pass or permit the period of validity of such pass or perrmt is for administrative convenience endorsed on the identity card. It is unlikely that except in very unusual circumstances a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies (or of the Republic of India under the recent direction) would be allowed to remain here on a temporary immigration pass or permit long enough to meet the residential qualification for citizenship;

(b) At present, registration as a citizen of Singapore does not alter a person's nationality or eligibility for a British passport. When the British Nationality Act, 1948, is amended as mentioned in the Report of the Singapore Constitutional Conference published as Sessional Paper Misc. No. 2 of 1957, consideration will be given to the question of eligibility for passports and if necessary, a statement will be made at that time."

The following question for Oral Answer stood on the Order Paper of 16th December, 1957:-