HKK
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RECEIVEN. REGISTRY
INUL..
10 JUL 1985
FICER
PA
PA
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Taken
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CONFIDENTIAL
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OO HONG KONG
GRS 305
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 031645Z JULY 85
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
0
TELEGRAM NUMBER 942 OF 3 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
FOR JEAFFRESON FROM GALSWORTHY
ник офо/+
236/
YOUR TELND 1316: BN(0) PASSPORTS AND ENTRY CERTIFICATES
1. THERE ARE, AS YOU APPRECIATE, TWO SORTS OF ENTRY
CERTIFICATES:
(A) MANDATORY ENTRY CLEARANCE, EG FOR THOSE COMING TO SETTLE IN THE UK. THIS APPLIES WHEREVER THE APPLICANT IS COMING FROM,
WHETHER THE US OR HONG KONG. THERE CAN BE NO QUESTION OF
ABOLISHING THIS: AND
(B) OPTIONAL ENTRY CLEARANCE.
2.
OPTIONAL ENTRY CLEARANCE IS ESSENTIALLY A FACILITY DESIGNED
TO MAKE IT QUICKER AND EASIER FOR THE HOLDER OF AN ENTRY
CERTIFICATE TO CLEAR IMMIGRATION CONTROL IN THE UK. THE CERTIFICATE INDICATES TO THE IMMIGRATION OFFICER THAT THE HOLDER HAS ALREADY BEEN INTERVIEWED, AND REMOVES THE NEED TO ASK THE DETAILED QUESTIONS WHICH ARE MORE EASILY ANSWERED IN HONG KONG AT LEISURE RATHER THAN SPENDING HALF A DAY AT HEATHROW WHILE THE IMMIGRATION OFFICER CHECKS UP. IF WE ABOLISHED OPTIONAL ENTRY CERTIFICATES ALTOGETHER WE SUSPECT THAT THE MOST LIKELY REACTION OF IMMIGRATION OFFICERS,IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT SUCH A SYSTEM DID
ON NOT EXIST, WOULD BE TO QUESTION HONG KONG BDTCS MORE FULLY, THE PRINCIPLE THAT ANY QUESTIONS WHICH WERE GOING TO BE ASKED WOULD HAVE TO BE ASKED AT HEATHROW. THE ABOLITION OF OPTIONAL ENTRY
CERTIFICATES MIGHT WELL THEREFORE CHANGE THE ATTITUDE OF IMMIGRATION OFFICERS TO ALL HONG KONG BDTCS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO AT THE MOMENT TRAVEL WITHOUT ENTRY CERTIFICATES.
3.
WE DID NOT SUGGEST THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BELIEVED THAT IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE WHETHER ONE HAD AN ENTRY CERTIFICATE OR NOT: IT IS UNOFFICIALS WHO HAVE TAKEN THIS LINE IN THE PAST, MOST RECENTLY TO THE PUS DURING HIS VISIT, AND BEFORE THAT DURING
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