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RESTRICTED
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Ms RJ M Ritchie
HKGD
RGB Bridge_Esq
Director of Immigration HONG KONG
1.
VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENTS
In your telegram No 1385 of 8 October 1979, you sought
advice as to whether the arrangements by which certain
European countries admit Hong Kong passport holders without
visas are entirely informal, or are provided for in
bilateral agreements either with Hong Kong or with the UK.
2. I did not deal with your enquiry at that time, but
have had occasion since then to look at the papers. Having
doubts about the reply given to you in FCO telegram No 824,
I have consulted our Legal Adviser, who is of the opinion
that the UK agreements referred to therein can be inter-
preted as covering Hong Kong.
3.
I have now looked at the UK's visa abolition agreements
with all Western European countries. You have already faced
difficulties with the Agreements with Austria and the
Federal Republic of Germany. I have found only three other
Agreements which do not extend to Hong Kong, i.e. those
with Spain, Greece and Turkey. The Agreements with the
following countries do cover Hong Kong: Belgium, Denmark,
France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Sweden and Switzerland.
4. I hope you may find this information useful in any
further discussions on this subject with Austrian or Germar
officials.