GRS 350
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 0610352 AUG 35
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1586 OF 6 AUGUST
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
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YOUR TELNO 1106
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PASSPORTS.
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9861 DAY 2-
HKK 0+0/28
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WE CONFIRM THE FOLLOWING
(A) YOUR PARA. 1(A). BDTCS WISHING TO AVOID REAPPLYING FOR VISAS SHOULD BE ADVISED, AS A FIRST STEP, TO ASK THE FOREIGN COUNTRIES CONCERNED TO TRANSFER THE VISA TO THE NEW PASSPORT. IF THIS IS NOT
POSSIBLE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE ADVISED TO DELAY APPLYING FOR
BN(0) PASSPORTS. WE ESTIMATE THAT MOST COUNTRIES WOULD BE WILLING
TO TRANSFER VISAS TO NEW PASSPORTS, AND CASES IN WHICH THIS COULD NOT BE DONE SHOULD BE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, ABOUT ONE OR TWO IN
A YEAR.
(3) YOUR PARA. 1(3). WE WILL CONTINUE TO ISSUE FAMILY PASSPORTS TO ANY BDTCS WHO WISH TO HAVE THEM, INCLUDING THOSE APPLYING FOR
DN(0) STATUS, UNTIL THE TRADITIONAL BLUE PASSPORT IS REPLACED BY THE
NRP.
(C) YOUR PARA. 1(C). WE AGREE THAT, INSTEAD OF ADOPTING THE EMERGENCY MEASURES TAKEN IN 1979, B(0)S WISHING TO TRAVEL URGENTLY TO COUNTRIES WHERE THE ABSENCE OF A RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT
COULD CAUSE DIFFICULTIES COULD BE ISSUED WITH BOTC PASSPORTS WITH
THE MINIMUM PERIOD OF VALIDITY NECESSARY FOR THE PURPOSE OF THEIR
TRAVEL.
(5) YOUR PARA. 1(D). WE WOULD WELCOME SOME FORM OF AUTHORITY FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO ISSUE UK PASSPORTS. WE WOULD CHARGE THE APPROPRIATE FEE UNDER THE CONSULAR FEES ACT 1930 AND WOULD BEAR ALL ADMINISTRATIVE AND PRODUCTION COSTS OF PASSPORTS ISSUED IN HONG KONG. WE WILL KEEP THE TOTAL FEE REVENUE IN LINE WITH THE EXISTING PRACTICE OF KEEPING THE FEE REVENUE FROM THE EXERCISE OF CONSULAR FUNCTIONS UNDER THE CONSULAR FEES ACT 1990.
(E) YOUR PARA. 2. WE WILL START WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON THE DESIGN OF APPLICATION FORMS FOR BN(0) PASSPORTS, AND ON THE EXPLANATORY LEAFLET THAT GOES WITH IT AND WILL CLEAR BOTH ITEMS WITH YOU IN DUE COURSE. AKERS-JONES
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED HD/NTD
RESEARCH DEPT.(MR WALKER )
D/HD PUSD
PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING MR WILSON
}
COPIES TO:
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT.
MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS
MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE
MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOM.
OFFICE.
MR EMERY, BL DIV, HOME OFFICE,
Mr Miller, MVD
CONFIDENTIAL
CROYDON.
105.
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