Subooh
His wife
ر
September 1990
4.1
</SEP 1990
Grateful for comments by Sca? 8ctober (cop). Is this common Dear Mr Hurd, Am Landsman,
SED
·FICE
x2966 27/ix
Zb Braemar Konu Plaistow
London E13 8EH
September 13th 1990, my wife and I flew to Lisbon, Portugal for a week's summer holiday, we came across a nightmarish situation which we never want to experience again.
I hold a full British Citizen's passport and had no problems gaining entry into Portugal. My wife holds a British National Overseas passport and due to her marriage to me has qualified for the right to stay in the UK indefinitely, which is clearly stamped in her passport.
Unfortunately, and to our utter amazement, my wife was stopped by the Portuguese Immigration Authorities and told she needed a visa to enter the country. This came as surprise to us both as my wife has travelled to many countries on the Continent, both for business and pleasure, and never had any problems on entering. We explained this to the chief immigration officer, and that applying for a visa was a genuine oversight on our part, and if we could apply for one now we could then be on our way.
The chief immigration officer told us that the visa should have been applied for in London, my wife had no visa and would not be allowed into Portugal, and deported immediately. On hearing this news neither of us was shocked and despondent, on the contrary, more in a state of total disbelief. Was this Portugal the country of sun and sporting enjoyment, and of imminent entry into the EEC, or some evil dictatorship with a xenophobic problem?
We remonstrated with the immigration officer showed him our return tickets, the lack of clothes we had, and the modest sum of money we were carrying. Also we showed him my
wife's passport had indefinite stay stamped in it. Also the US immigration stamp and all the other stamps it contained by way of showing him that she was not a high risk entrant liable to abscond as soon as she left the airport, but all to no avail. All we got was an uncooperative attitude which helped no one. We appealed for a little clemency, but all we got was a stone-walled, unresponsive, obdurate negative response.
We were then told to wait for a representative of our air carrier (Air Atlantis). We thought that perhaps we might get somewhere as he may speak English and Portuguese and that he may have a better understanding of our situation, and that nothing was getting lost in translation.
It seemed the air representative was reluctant to come so I was left no alternative but to roam Lisbon Airport, getting into places I should not have (so much for their airport security), eventually I found him and asked him to follow me to immigration control. I explained all that was necessary but he took a less than sympathetic attitude telling us it was the rule with this passport, that a visa was required, and that after speaking with the chief immigration officer my wife was to be deported. I also explained that in similar circumstances a few years ago while flying to Yugoslavia we found ourselves without a visa, the immigration control there understood our oversight, realised we were genuine travellers and a visa was issued immediately and we were able to continue on our holiday. Yugoslavia was an Eastern Bloc country at the time, so why was Portugal being so pedantic about my wife's passport?
While waiting the details of my wife's deportation we both had time to collect our thoughts on the Portuguese attitude to this type of passport. We both came to the same conclusion about the pre-determined attitude my wife endured, the key being Macau. As you are well aware Mr Hurd, the people of Macau have been given full Portuguese citizenship after 1997, whether through political in- fighting or unpopularity it seems that anybody from Hong Kong who visits Portugal with a Hong Kong/British passport will be treated with utter disdain, and racially discriminated against because the Portuguese have trouble in coming to terms with the Macau situation.
Whether my synopsis has any credibilty is open to conjecture, what is not beyond doubt is that the Portuguese immigration officials have been told to adopt a bloodymindedness and suspicion beyond the bounds of reasonableness about Hong Kong/British passport holders and so one must conclude that they are operating a racially discriminatory policy not just on my wife, who I feel should not have been refused entry, but to all Hong Kong/British passport holders who travel there. I find this particularly distasteful that the aforementioned passport holders are being singled out for discriminatory treatment, as in my wife's case she should not have been refused entry, she was not treated on her merits, as a consequence our holiday was ruined.
I would be grateful Mr Hurd, if you could put my wife's case to your opposite Portuguese number or interior minister, and the questions I pose in this letter could be answered, and if they agree that my wife was treated harshly (as does everybody I have mentioned this to at present) the question of compensation being deserved could be mentioned.
Yours sincerely,
FR Clement
Robert Clements
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