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Immigration and Visa Control
6. The Hong Kong Government are responsible for immigration
control into the territory. The Hong Kong Immigration
Department also act on behalf of the Home Office in issuing
passports, visas or entry certificates for entry to the UK.
1.
Immigration from the PRC is subject to special under-
standings with the PRC. The latter do not accept the right
of the Hong Kong Government to limit immigration from the PRC
for persons to whom its Government have given permission to
travel. But they recognise the need for control and themselves
limit the numbers leaving to an average of about 150 a day.
About 25% of these are theoretically visitors (though they
seldom return to China); the remainder have one-way permits
for permanent settlement in Hong Kong. In practice the
Hong Kong Government admits these 'legal immigrants', although
they regard the numbers permitted to travel as too high and
are trying to persuade the PRC to reduce them.
8. The Chinese co-operate in measures to prevent the
unauthorised emigration of people to Hong Kong and accept
back all 'illegal immigrants' caught or discovered in Hong Kong.
Visas for Taiwan Residents
As a matter of practical convenience (there is no British
representation in Taiwan), the Hong Kong Immigration
g.
Department issue visas for the UK to Taiwan residents on
behalf of the Home Office.
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