253
GRS 400
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2429
OF 070405Z NOVEMBER 85
INFO PRIORITY OTTAWA
CONFIDENTIAL
201
TOP COPY
PARA. 3 OF FCO TELNO 1636: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED :
ACCEPTABILITY OF BN(0) PASSPORT : CANADA.
IN INFORMAL DISCUSSION WITH SECRETARY FOR SECURITY YESTERDAY, THE CANADIAN COMMISSIONER AND HIS TWO ASSISTANTS INDICATED THAT
(A) THEIR 'HEADQUARTERS' WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE BN(0) PASSPORT BECAUSE UNDER REGULATION 14(3) (A) OF THEIR
IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS 1978 AS AMENDED BY THE ORDER IN COUNCIL
OF APRIL 1983 EVERY VISITOR TO CANADA WAS REQUIRED TO BE IN
POSSESSION OF 'A VALID AND SUBSISTING PASSPORT VALID FOR TRAVEL
TO CANADA, ISSUED TO THAT VISITOR BY THE COUNTRY OF WHICH HE IS A CITIZEN OR NATIONAL AND RECOGNISED BY THE COUNTRY OF ISSUE AS
GIVING THAT VISITOR THE RIGHT TO ENTER THE COUNTRY OF ISSUE. THE BN(0) PASSPORT, WHETHER BEFORE OR AFTER 1997, MIGHT NOT BE AN ACCEPTABLE PASSPORT UNDER THIS REGULATION BECAUSE THE HOLDER WOULD NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENTER THE COUNTRY OF ISSUE, THE UNITED
KINGDOM:
(B) AS FAR AS THEY WERE AWARE, THE PROBLEM WITH BOCS WAS PARTLY SOLVED BY THE ISSUE OF MINISTER'S PERMITS' FOR ENTRY INTO CANADA
TO SOME BOCS. NO AMENDMENT TO THE 1983 ORDER IN COUNCIL HAD BEEN MADE TO ACCOMMODATE THE BOCS. ON BEING TOLD OF THE ANSWER GIVEN BY HMG TO A PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION IN NOVEMBER 1983 IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT'S REFUSAL TO GRANT ENTRY AS VISITORS TO BOCS, THEY UNDERTOOK TO RESEARCH THE APPARENT ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOMMODATION MADE IN 1983 AND TO SEE IF THE SAME
ACCOMMODATION COULD APPLY TO BN (0)S:
(C) IF NECESSARY IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO AMEND THE 1983 ORDER IN
COUNCIL TO ACCOMMODATE BN (0)S:
(D) IF THIS TECHNICAL PROBLEM COULD BE SOLVED IN REGARD TO BN (0)S, THEY SAW NO REASON WHY THE EXISTING VISA ABOLITION ARRANGEMENTS APPLYING TO HONG KONG BDTCS VISITING CANADA FOR NOT MORE THAN 90
DAYS SHOULD NOT APPLY TO BN (0)S.CONFIDENTIAL
040128
нин
RECEIVED IN REG-STRY
- 7 NOV 1985
12.
PA
roy
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