That was then...This is Now

To many, it is a symbol of a betrayal of Hong Kong's people by Britain.

At first glance, the British National (Overseas) passport with its burgundy colour and coat of arms appears the same as those issued to Britons.

However, it is only a travel document, which does not provide full citizenship or right of abode in Britain for the 3.5 million Hong Kong holders, as demanded by those who felt they had served the British empire. Nevertheless, hundreds of thousands of people rushed to get the passport this year as deadlines for its issue approached.

Despite the end of British rule, the passport remains valid for the rest of the holders' life and has to be renewed every 10 years. China has allowed Hong Kong people to continue using it, and has even offered consular assistance to holders falling into trouble overseas. It provides visa-free access to more than 80 nations.

Hong Kong can now issue its own passports for the first time.

The blue-covered SAR passport - with its gold emblem featuring Tiananmen Square, the five stars of China and Chinese characters - replaces the green cloth-covered Certificate of Identity issued to residents who were considered stateless because they did not want to swear allegiance to the United Kingdom.