CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 952
OF 111034Z JUNE 93
146
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 3401
15 JUN 1993
153
151316
MDHIAN 4502
TOP COPY Q DIST?
RE YOUR TELNO 570 OF 9/6 : BN(0)
1. WE ENVISAGE THAT WE WILL BE RECEIVING SOME APPLICATIONS FROM THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES OF PERSONS:-
BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS REQUESTING FOR BN (0) PASSPORTS
BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS REQUESTING FOR BDTC PASSPORTS
ELIGIBLE PERSONS WHO DO NOT HOLD ANY PASSPORT AT PRESENT REQUESTING FOR BOTH THE BDTC AND BN (0) PASSPORTS.
2. DESPITE REFERENCE IN THE HOME OFFICE PRESS RELEASE TO RETENTION OF CURRENT PASSPORTS, GIVEN THAT THE AGREEMENT IS FOR CONCURRENT POSSESSION OF BOTH BDTC AND BN (0) PASSPORTS AND THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR ANY APPLICANTS REFERRED TO ABOVE TO RENDER THEMSELVES ELIGIBLE E.G., BY COMING INTO POSSESSION OF A BDTC PASSPORT IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, WE FEEL THAT WE SHOULD ENTERTAIN ALL REQUESTS FROM ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS SO AS TO AVOID REPETITION OF WORK AND BAD PUBLICITY. PLEASE CONFIRM THAT THIS IS ACCEPTABLE.
3. PLEASE ALSO CONFIRM THAT THE BN(0) PASSPORTS ISSUED UNDER THIS CONCESSION SHOULD BE VALID FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE. TO DO OTHERWISE WILL POSE QUITE SERIOUS OPERATIONAL DIFFICULTIES, NOT TO MENTION THE CONFUSION TO THE USERS AND RECIPIENT COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS THE NEED TO CHANGE THE FORMAT OF THE PASSPORT.
4. GIVEN THE VAST LOCAL INTEREST AND LARGE NUMBER OF ENQUIRIES RECEIVED, WE INTEND TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, PREFERABLY IMMEDIATELY. IT WOULD, HOWEVER, BE NECESSARY FOR OVERSEAS POSTS TO BEGIN ON THE SAME DATE. CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT THIS TELEGRAM AND YOUR AGREEMENT WITH IT, ASSUMING IT IS FORTHCOMING, CONSTITUTE THE DETAILS THE HOME SECRETARY MENTIONED WOULD BE SORTED OUT. WE DO NOT WISH TO SEEM TO CONFIRM SOME LEGCO
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