GRS 650
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
AMENDED DISTRIBUTION
FM HONG KONG 1904002 JUL 25
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1476 OF 19 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
copy raken for file.
SNN340/3931-E
1205
*122/7
147
YOUR TELNO. 989: HONG KONG AGREEMENT : PASSPORTS
OUR COMMENTS ON THE POINTS MADE IN TUR ARE
(A) YOUR PARA. 1(A). WE AGREE THAT THE CONCURRENT HOLDING OF BDTC- AND BN(0) PASSPORTS BECAUSE OF UNEXPIRED VISAS IN THE FORMER IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. WE PROPOSE, SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, TO INFORM EXCO THAT A BDTC PASSPORT CONTAINING A VALID VISA WILL BE CANCELLED AND UNITED TO THE BN (0) PASSPORT ON REQUEST IN LINE WITH THE PRACTICE LAID DOWN IN DSP VOLUME 25, PARAGRAPHS 5.3 AND 6.1.15. BDTC PASSPORTS CONTAINING VALID VISAS FOR USA WILL NOT (REPEAT NOT) BE UNITED AS U.S. AUTHORITIES NORMALLY TRANSFER SUCH VISAS TO THE HOLDERS' NEW PASSPORTS:
(B) YOUR PARA. 1(B). WE TAKE YOUR POINT ABOUT THE ERROR IN PARAGRAPH 11(D) OF THE EXCO PAPER. OPTION 4 WILL BE SUITABLY REWORDED:
(C) YOUR PARA. 2(A). WE CONFIRM WE WISH TO USE TRADITIONAL HARD BLUE COVER PASSPORTS FOR BN (0)S UNTIL COMMON FORMAT/MACHINE READABLE PASSPORTS ARE INTRODUCED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE DIFFICULTIES IN ISSUING FAMILY PASSPORTS FOR BN (0)S OVER THE INITIAL PERIOD AS THE DEMAND FOR SUCH PASSPORTS IS NIL:
(D) YOUR PARA. 2(5). WE AGREE THAT COMMON FORMAT/MACHINE READABLE BN(0) SHOULD NOT STATE BRITISH PASSPORT' ON THE COVER. AS THE E.C. MARKINGS WOULD NEED TO BE EXCLUDED, THE WORDS
UNITED KINGDOM ETC. SHOULD BE READJUSTED UPWARDS AND THE WORD 'PASSPORT SHOULD APPEAR IN SIMILAR BOLD TYPE:
(E) YOUR PARA. 3. IN OUR VIEW IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT ALL
BW(0) PASSPORTS SHOULD BEAR THE RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT. WE
SUGGEST THAT APPLICANTS WHO APPROACH UK PASSPORT OFFICES OR
CONSULAR POSTS OVERSEAS WITHOUT A PERMANENT HONG KONG IDENTITY
CARD SHOULD BE ADVISED TO OBTAIN ONE FIRST. IF THEY ARE IN URGENT
NEED OF A PASSPORT, UK PASSPORT OFFICES AND OVERSEAS POSTS SHOULD RESORT TO EMERGENCY MEASURES SIMILAR TO THOSE PROPOSED IN JULY 1979 WHEN, DUE TO AN EXPECTED STRIKE ACTION, SUPPLIES OF BLANK PASSPORTS
TO POST WERE EXPECTED TO CEASE ENTIRELY. THE SAME EMERGENCY MEASURES
SUMMARISED BELOW COULD BE ADOPTED
(EDTC PASSPORT WHICH HAVE EXPIRED OR ARE ACOUT TO EXPIRE
WILL BE REVALIDATED FOR A FURTHER PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS OR LONGER
IF REQUIRED BY THE REGULATIONS OF ANY COUNTRY TO BE VISITED:
CONFIDENTIAL
AND