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YOUR TELNO 16T: SPANISH VISA REGIME FOR HONG KONG BDTC'S/BNO'S
SUMMARY
1. SPAIN AGREES TO POSTPONE ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW VISA REQUIREMENTS UNTIL SEPTEMBER. MFA CONFIRM THAT HONG KONG IS ON SCHENGEN VISA LIST, BUT AGREE TO EXERCISE FLEXIBILITY FOR FIRST MONTH OR TWO.
DETAIL
2. TOGETHER WITH HMCG, I CARRIED OUT YOUR INSTRUCTIONS TODAY WITH DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR CONSULAR AFFAIRS AT THE MFA, DRAWING ON MOST OF (NOT MAASTRICHT) THE MATERIAL IN TUR. I ALSO LEFT WITH HIM
A BACKGROUND NOTE ON THE PHASED REGISTRATION PROGRAMME.
3. CARBAJAL AGREED THAT A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF THEIR NEW VISA REQUIREMENTS COULD BE POSTPONED UNTIL SEPTEMBER. THE SOLE SPANISH CONCERN WAS TO ENSURE THAT TRAVELLERS HAD SUFFICIENT NOTICE TO MAKE SUITABLE ARRANGEMENTS FOR VISAS BEFORE TRAVELLING. HE WILL NOW ASK THE SPANISH CONSUL GENERAL IN HONG KONG (WHO IS HIS COUSIN) TO LIAISE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OVER THE PRECISE TIMING OF AN
ANNOUNCEMENT.
4.
IN RESPONSE TO MY QUESTION, CARBAJAL CONFIRMED THAT HONG KONG WAS ON THE SCHENGEN COMMON VISA LIST, ALTHOUGH IMPLEMENTATION DATES
IN ADVANCE OF AGREEMENT COMING INTO FORCE (AS THE SPANIARDS AT LEAST STILL EXPECT ON 1 DECEMBER 1993) MAY VARY. IT WAS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT SOME SCHENGENITES, CARBAJAL QUOTED HOLLAND, MAY MAKE PROVISIONS FOR THE ISSUE OF VISAS AT FRONTIER ENTRY POINTS. SPAIN HAD NO MECHANISM FOR THIS (FRONTIER POLICE CAN, ON INSTRUCTIONS, WAIVE VISAS BUT NOT ISSUE THEM). BUT IN RESPONSE TO OUR REQUEST HE AGREED THAT FLEXIBILITY OVER NEW ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE EXERCISED FOR THE FIRST MONTH OR TWO.
5. AS CARBAJAL DID IN PASSING ASK WHETHER BDTC/BNO'S HAD RIGHT OF ABODE IN UK, I TOLD HIM THEY DID NOT FOR UK, BUT DID FOR HONG KONG. HE DID NOT HOWEVER DWELL ON THE POINT. NEW VISA REGIMES WERE BEING INTRODUCED SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR OTHER COUNTRIES WITH WHOM SPAIN HAD
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