Mr Stephens
HONG KONG BNO PASSPORTS ETC
From L Stephenson Migration and Visa Dept
Date 2 February 1993
HKD 345 B 345B
1. Thankyou for the explanation on the above in your 1993
(14)
minute of 2 February!
2. I agree with the line you propose. The problem as I
see it mirrors the concers which the Austrians outlined
to me some time ago i e they had been labouring under
the impression that "Hong Kongers" had the right of abode
in the UK or at the very least were returnable to the UK.
That is why they wished to rethink their visa policy
because they were concerned that if the situation in
Hong Kong deteriorated in the run up to 1997 then
countries such as Austria could be faced with a large
number of people from Hong Kong looking for sanctuary.
The Austrians were non too impressed about the returnability
to Hong Kong as they argued that this would be expensive
if they had to pick up the bill.
3. The key to all of this is returnablity and rights of
residence. I assume that the category of people with
an entitlement to readmission to the UK would be classed
as being legally resident here. If this is the case then
they would benefit if and when the External Frontiers
Convention is signed
-
from visa free travel within the
A
EC even if they would otherwise be designated visa nationals.
This concession would not however stretch to non EC countries
in Europe.
4.If we were to approach the French and the Germans I have no
doubt that they would ask searching questions about rights of