#
RESTRICTED
25647 - 2
GRS 383
RESTRICTED
FM FCO 251500Z APRIL 80
TO PRIORITY ABIDJAN
TELEGRAM NUMBER VISA 002 OF 25 APRIL
AND TO CERTAIN OTHER POSTS INCLUDING ASSOCIATED STATES AND
DEPENDENT TERRITORIES (SEE ATTACHED LIST)
VISAS FOR IRANIANS
1. ONE OF THE DECISIONS ARISING FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING IN LUXEMBOURG ON 22 APRIL, WAS
THE IMPOSITION OF A VISA REQUIREMENT.
2. A DATE FOR THE RE-IMPOSITION OF VISAS FOR IRANIAN
PASSPORT HOLDERS TRAVELLING TO THE UK IS STILL UNDER
CONSIDERATION AND WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ON THE HANDLING OF IRANIAN VISA
APPLICATIONS WILL FOLLOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
3.. UNTIL THE DATE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED, IRANIAN VISITORS MAY TRAVEL TO THE UK WITHOUT A VÍSA BUT WILL, OF COURSE, STILL HAVE TO QUALIFY FOR ENTRY UNDER THE RULES.
24.
AFTER INTRODUCTION OF THE VISA REQUIREMENT, IRANIANS WILL BE EXPECTED TO APPLY TO THE NEAREST BRITISH VISA ISSUING POST
ABROAD FOR A VISA. BUT FOR SOME TRAVELLERS ALREADY EN ROUTE
TO THE UK THIS COULD REPRESENT AN UNREASONABLE REQUIREMENT. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE BE AWARE THAT IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES IMMIGRATION OFFICERS AT THE PORTS HAVE DISCRETION TO WAIVE THE VISA REQUIREMENT. YOU SHOULD NOT MAKE THIS DISCRETIONARY ARRANGEMENT KNOWN GENERALLY, SINCE THIS COULD LEAD TO ABUSE. BUT YOU MAY AT YOUR DISCRETION INFORM INDIVIDUALS IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
5.
THE RE-IMPOSITION OF VISAS FOR IRANIANS REQUIRES AN AMENDMENT TO THE RULES. THIS WILL BE EFFECTED BY THE HOME SECRETARY LAYING AN ORDER BEFORE THE HOUSE. IT TAKES EFFECT FROM THE DATE ANNOUNCED IN THE ORDER. ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE PRAYED AGAINST WITHIN 40 DAYS. THE AMENDMENT WILL BE THE DELETION OF IRAN' FROM THE LIST OF COUNTRIES SHOWN IN THE APPENDIX TO HC394 OF 20 FEBRUARY 1980 SETTING OUT THE REVISED RULES.
HKG.122/324/1
EX
8 MAY 1980
Me 1788 12-6 B
де
1
RESTRICTED
12
?