H. The Under Secretary of State
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BRITISH EMBASSY,
Copy.
(F 3845/98/10).
CONFIDENTIAL. SAFE HAND.
No. 90 (10/32F/1941)
and two copies.
Copies sent to:
Chungking. No. 84
Hongkong No. 16
Passport Control Officer Shanghai Macao No. 3.
Sir,
- MEGL
SHANGHAI,
18th February, 1941.
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2003
1300014
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I have the honour to refer to Chungking telegram No. 8 of 6th January 1941, regarding the Immigration Control Ordinance, 1940 (No. 32 of 1940), mouifying the regulations governing entry into the Colony of Hongkong and which was brought into force on the 15th January 1941.
2.
I understand that the Ordinance does not alter the position as regards the issue of visas on passports of aliens, other than Chinese, travelling to or through Hongkong, but that Chinese, who could previously enter Hongkong without travel documents must now produce for inspection a valid passport duly visaed or must have an Entry Permit, Frontier Pass or Certificate of Residence in liongkong. Such documents will be issued only by the authorities in Hongkong.
4.
3. An explanation of the scope and operation of the new regulations was circulated to H. M. Consuls in China in Embassy Circular to Consuls No. 9 of 29th January 1941, a copy of which has been forwarded to you under my printed letter No. 53. It will be observed that paragraph 7 of this circular authorised His Majesty's Consuls in China to issue visas on Chinese national passports to reputable Chinese valid for a single journey to Hongkong and not including other British territory and transit visas limited to journeys to Chinese territory through Hongkong, without obtaining prior sanction from the Immigration authorities at Hongkong or the sanction of the Passport Control Officer at Shangnai.
This extension to His Majesty's Consuls in China of authority to grant visas to reputable Chinese at their discretion and without reference to other authorities was originally suggested by His Majesty's Ambassador at Chungking to the Hongkong authorities and in view of the complaints regarding the Hongkong Immigration Oruinance by the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs - see in particular paragraph 2 (5) of my telegram No. 8 of 6th January 1941 addressed to your predecessor I was reluctant to suggest any measure that would tend to mitigate delay in dealing with applications for visas from reputable Chinese in the more isolated parts of China where reference by His Majesty's Consuls to other authorities before granting a visa for Hongkong might tena to cause serious delay and inconvenience to the applicant.
5. I am, however, aware that, in granting this authority, regarding the issue of visas to Chinese, to His Majesty's Consuls in China I have added to their powers regarding the issue/
The Right Honourable
Anthony den, M. C., M.P.,
etc.,
etc.,
FOREIGN OFFICE.
etc.,