CONFIDENTIAL
NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FOR BN (0) PASSPORTS JUST BEFORE 1997. DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION EXPLAINED THE POLICY AND PROCEDURES OF NATURALISATION AND SAID THAT A SUDDEN INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS
WAS UNLIKELY.
6. ON VISA ABOLITION WENSLEY SAID THAT THE AUSTRALAIN GOVERNMENT WOULD PREFER TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY SAID HE APPRECIATED THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT WISH TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION TO THE PRESENT VIRTUALLY UNIVERSAL VISA REQUIREMENTS IN FAVOUR OF HONG KONG. BUT SAID THAT HONG KONG WOULD MUCH APPRECIATE BEING GIVEN FAVOURABLE CONSIDERATION IF AUSTRALIA INTRODUCED ANY RELAXATION IN VISA REQUIREMENTS.
7. WENSLEY ASKED WHETHER A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE BN (0) PASSPORT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
WE SAID IT WOULD.
YOUDE
YYYY
HMLNAN 3552
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
COPIES TO:
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
LEGAL ADVISERS
HD/NTD
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)
DEP HD/PUSD
PS
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE MR WILSON
MR BARRINGTON
MR PLANT,
MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD
MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE
MR EMERY, BL DIV, HOLE OFFICE, CROYDON
MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE
ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.
MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE
-2-
COMIDENTIAL
Page 90Page 91