CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 345/2 Hina2a142
3
166334
MDLIAN 6149
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO PRIORITY MVD
TELNO VISA 11
OF 100337Z JANUARY 92
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
(WIBUS
HONG KONG TELNO 3942
VISA POLICY ON NATIONALS OF THE FORMER SOV BLOC
ZB
1. WE WELCOME THE PROPOSAL FOR A SEVEN DAY REPORT AND DELAY PROCEDURE FOR VIETNAMESE APPLICANTS WISHING TO GO TO HONG KONG.
2. INDEED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SYSTEM HAVE BEEN REQUIRED FOR SOME TIME. THE BUILD UP IN TRADE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND VIETNAM HAS CAUSED THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED HERE TO RISE BY AROUND 300 PER CENT. APPROXIMATELY HALF REQUESTED VISAS OF SEVEN DAYS DURATION OR LESS. MEASURES WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE TAKEN TO COPE MORE. SO NO THAT DIRECT FLIGHTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND VIETNAM HAVE RESUMED.
3. THE UNCERTAINTY ON THE TIMESCALE FOR PROCESSING VISAS HAS CREATED A DEGREE OF CRITICSM AT TIMES WITH THE VIETNAMESE AND THE PROPOSED SYSTEM WILL LARGELY ELIMINATE THIS. BEING ABLE TO GIVE THE VIETNAMESE A DEFINITE TIMESCALE FOR A DECISION WILL
BE A GREAT IMPROVEMENT.
4. ARE THERE PLANS TO EXTEND THIS TO VISAS FOR UK AS WELL?
WILLIAMS
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
23
MINIMAL
MVD
୯୯୯୯
DISTRIBUTION
23
HKD
SEAD
PAGE
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CONFIDENTIAL