人民入境事務處
香港德輔道中 四
國際大廈
Our Ref IMM/CR 3/1341 (6)
Alfred Preissl Esq
Consul General of Austria Rm 2201 Wang Kee Bldg 34-37 Connaught Rd C Hong Kong
Dear (Consul General)
IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT,
INTERNATIONAL BUILDING,
141, DES VOEUX ROAD CENTRAL,
HONG KONG,
20 June 1978
You will remember that when we met recently at the Italian National Day reception we discussed briefly the question of visa waiver arrangements.
You mentioned that originally such arrangements existed on a mutual basis between Hong Kong and Austria and that they had been dropped in subsequent negotiations between UK and Austria on UK insistence (though Hong Kong allows Austrian visitors in for up to one month without a visa).
I wonder whether there may be a misunderstanding here. From my files (which may well be incomplete) it appears that the negotiations came to an end in December 1969 because, at that time, the Austrian Ministry of the Interior was worried about the possible cost of repatriating undesirables direct to Hong Kong. This has also been a stumbling block in similar negotiations with other countries, but in most cases has been satisfactorily overcome because it has been found that in practice the numbers involved are never very great and most of them prefer to pay for their own ticket rather than face formal deportation proceedings.
Experience in several European countries suggests that visa controls are ineffective in keeping out undesirables, but are a great source of irritation to respectable travellers. The damage to relations appears to be out of all proportion to any benefit gained. I therefore propose for consideration by your Government a reversion to the previous arrangements by which Hong Kong British passport holders were allowed into Austria for short visits without a visa. I would be very happy to call on you in your office if you think a discussion would help.
Yours (Sincerely)
D. 355
bec
rin
пл
RGB Bridge
Director of Immigration
FCO (M & V Dept) (previous correspondence on this subject
expired with your GVV 2/393/1 of 3 Dec 1969)
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IMMIGRATION HONG KONG
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