SECRETARY OF STAT
CONFIDENTIAL
VISIT TO HONG KONG: FEBRUARY 1972–
A. GERMAN VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR HONG KONG PASSPORT HOLDERS
1.
Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who belong to
dependent territories are mostly subject to British immigration
control under the Commonwealth Immigrants Acts 1962 and 1968.
Consequently they cannot be automatically sent to the UK by the
German authorities, if any problem were to arise over their
admission to or stay in Germany. It is therefore German policy
to subject all persons from the British dependent territories, and
indeed all UK belongers whose passports do not reveal a clear
right to admission to Britain, to a visa requirement. The situation
will be unchanged when the Immigration Act 1971 comes into force.
2.
For some time the Hong Kong Government has been exercised
by the imposition by the Federal German authorities of a visa
requirement on holders of Hong Kong passports seeking to enter the
Federal Republic. The Hong Kong authorities have relaxed their
rules to make it normally possible for a German to visit the
Colony without a visa for a stay of up to one month. They would
like the Germans to afford reciprocal facilities.
3. In response to a request from Hong Kong to the then Secretary
of State in April 1970 an undertaking was given that the possibility
of an approach by HM Government to the German authorities seeking
the introduction of reciprocal visa-waiver facilities would be
considered. The examination of the problem was carried out in
conjunction with a similar request from the Governor of Gibraltar
(whose passport holders were - and are in a similar situation to
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