GRS 410
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 3975
OF 270215Z NOVEMBER 86
Confidential
INFO ROUTINE MEXICO CITY
WICK 390L
BECENA BEC
REGISTRY
13 DEC 1986
HER
PA
Redisaky
Action Taken
mok
NATIONALITY: INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF BN(0) PASSPORTS
CONSUL-GENERAL OF MEXICO (TAPIA PONCE) CALLED ON S FOR S ON 13 NOVEMBER AT THE LATTER'S INVITATION TO DISCUSS THE NOTE WE HAD SENT HIM ON BN (0) STATUS AND THE PASSPORT THAT GOES
WITH IT.
2. S FOR S EXPLAINED, UPON REQUEST, THAT A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE RENDERED STATELESS AFTER 1997 WOULD NEED TO BE ISSUED WITH BO(C) PASSPORTS. (THE BO(C) STATUS AND PASSPORT IS A RECURRENT THEME IN OUR DISCUSSION WITH CONSUL-GENERALS AND COMMISSIONERS SO FAR).
3.
TAPIA CONFIRMED THAT MEXICO CITY HAD RECEIVED A SIMILAR NOTE ON BN (0) STATUS AND PASSPORT FROM THE BRITISH REPRESENTATIVE THERE. HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS THAT WOULD MAKE THE BN(0) PASSPORT UNACCEPTABLE.
4. TAPIA SAID SINCE ASSUMING OFFICE IN HONG KONG HE HAD MANAGED TO PERSUADE MEXICO CITY TO ALLOW HIM TO ISSUE VISAS TO HONG KONG APPLICANTS WITHOUT HAVING TO REFER TO HIS CAPITAL FOR APPROVAL. HE SAID THAT CRITERIA GOVERNING THE ISSUE OF VISAS REMAINED UNCHANGED BUT THE PROCESS OF APPLICATION WAS FAR LESS TIME-CONSUMING. TAPIA SAID THE NUMBER OF VISAS ISSUED HAD INCREASED 500 PER CENT (TO 300/MONTH) OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS. S FOR S THANKED HIM FOR RESOLVING A LONG STANDING PROBLEM.
5. AS REGARDS VISA ABOLITION TAPIA THOUGHT THE TIME WAS NOT YET RIPE. S FOR S MENTIONED THE INCONVENIENCE CAUSED TO, SAY, A HK BDTC TRAVELLER IN US WHO WHILE HAVING DECIDED TO VISIT MEXICO, HIS APPLICATION FOR A VISA HAD TO BE REFERRED BACK TO THE MEXICAN CONSULATE-GENERAL IN HONG KONG. TAPIA AGREED THAT THERE WAS NO HARM IN THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN MEXICO CITY SUGGESTING THAT VISA ABOLITION FOR HONG KONG BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. HE HIMSELF WAS NOT TOO OPTIMISTIC ON THE OUTCOME. S FOR S SAID THAT ALLOWING HK BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS TO OBTAIN VISAS FROM MEXICAN CONSULATES IN THE US SHOULD AT LEAST BE CONSIDERED.
6. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF MEXICO CITY COULD BE ASKED TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT ALLOWING
HK BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS
Confidential
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