PRISONERS will not be left out of the phased programme for application for British National Overseas (BNO) passports, which imposes cut-off dates for people of different age groups.
The Assistant Director of Immigration, Chan Ching-bor, yesterday said the department might send officers to penal institutions to process applications.
''We are discussing the arrangement with the Correctional Services Department and our target is to introduce the service in 1996,'' he said.
''There is no hurry to deal with these applications at the moment because some of the eligible prisoners may have been released by then.'' Those not released before the cut-off dates would probably be given special approval to put in late applications, Mr Chan said.
The phased programme, endorsed by the Privy Council on Tuesday, also imposed a deadline for people applying for naturalisation.
At present, people who wish to apply for BNO passports must acquire British Dependent Territories Citizen status first, which can be obtained through naturalisation.
