Sulish Embassy
Bio Leuna 71 Mexico 5 DF 20 Sox 00 Bis
Telex 017 71195 (a/b UKEMMX) Telephone 511-48-80
ри
faith
DFB Le Breton Esq
NTD
FCO
Clive House
Petty France
WKK 340/ RECciv
- 4 DEC 1986
TRY
in laken
Me
Your reference
Our reference
Date
5 November 1986
1069
Dean he Boston,
HONG KONG : BRITISH NATIONALS (OVERSEAS)
Please refer to your two letters GNP 343/32 of 23 September to the Ambassador.
1.
2. Our Consul called on Lic Edgardo Flores Rivas, Director General of Consular Services at the Secretariat for External Relations (SRE), on 24 October. As instructed in your letter, he handed over a note on the new national status for BDTCs from Hong Kong together with an Aide Memoire describing the new arrangements in detail.
3. Lic Flores said that he would, of course, have to study the notes but he saw no difficulty in Mexico recognising the new national status. However, he said that Mexico saw a clear distinction between British Citizens (those with the right of abode in the UK) and others who held British passports and asked whether BN(0)s would need visas to enter the UK. The Consul replied that BN(0)s would not be obliged to obtain prior entry clearance for the UK and that an endorsement to this effect would be placed in the new BN (0)s passports. However, on closer questioning, the Consul had to admit that BN (0)s would be subject to UK Ammigration control and that they would be able to obtain prior entry clearance if they wished.
4. The Consul also raised the question of the Mexican visa requirement for Hong Kong BDTCS. He rehearsed the arguments for relaxing this requirement and reminded lic Flores that we had written to the Director General of Immigration asking whether it would be possible to authorise the issue of 30 day visit visas without reference to Mexico City. Lic Flores replied that the decision was one to be taken by the Immigration department but he doubted whether there could be any relaxation of the visa requirement at the present time. The Mexican authorities were becoming increasingly concerned about the number of Asians using Mexico as a route for illegal entry into the US and Canada. Lic Flores said that there was pressure from the US for Mexico to tighten up its immigration procedures and, although Hong Kong did not figure largely in this problem, they would not wish to be seen favouring one Asian country ever others by easing visa requirements.
15.