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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1985
'RIGHT OF ABODE SHOULD BE STATED'
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THE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT SHOULD STATE CATEGORICALLY THAT THE HOLDER HAD THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG TO AVOID ANY MISUNDERSTANDING OR INCONVENIENCE, THE HON MRS SELINA CHOW SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
+1 AM AFRAID A SIMPLE NUMERICAL REFERENCE TO THE IDENTITY CARD OR AN ENDORSEMENT STATING ONLY THAT THE HOLDER ALSO HOLDS A PERMANENT HONG KONG IDENTITY CARD IN THE BN(0) PASSPORT MIGHT FAIL TO SATISFY SOME IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES AS EVIDENCE THAT THE HOLDER HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG, SHE SAID IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE PROPOSED TITLE OF BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS).
+ IF THIS COULD BE DONE, THEN I SEE NO OBJECTION TO EITHER THE TITLE OF BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) OR THE USE OF THE NEW PASSPORTS BEARING THIS NEW TITLE BEFORE 1997, ALTHOUGH I STILL DO NOT SEE THE NECESSITY FOR SUCH A MOVE, + SHE SAID.
REFERRING TO ARGUMENT THAT LEAD TIME WAS REQUIRED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REASONS, MRS CHOW SAID THIS MIGHT EASILY BE COUNTERED, FOR EARLY ISSUANCE OF THE PASSPORTS COULD STILL TAKE PLACE WHILE THE VALID DATE COMMENCED ON JULY 1, 1997.
THE OTHER RATIONALE FOR ADVANCING THE VALID DATE WAS THAT THESE NEW DOCUMENTS COULD BE TESTED WELL BEFORE 1997, SHE SAID.
ATTRACTIVE AS THIS MIGHT SOUND, MRS CHOW SAID WE MUST NOT OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT THERE WOULD BE CHANGE OVER, HOWEVER SMOOTH IT MIGHT BE, FROM THE EXISTING HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO THE FUTURE HONG KONG SAR GOVERNMENT.
+HENCE THE TEST BEFORE THE CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT WOULD ONLY BE MEANINGFUL IF THERE CAN BE A GUARANTEE THAT THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT WILL HONOUR THE COMMITMENT MADE BY THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT TO ADMIT HOLDERS OF THE BN(0) PASSPORTS IF AND WHEN THEY ARE REFUSED ENTRY BY A THIRD COUNTRY, AND ARE CONSEQUENTLY REPATRIATED BACK TO HONG KONG, AND TO BEAR FULL COSTS OF SUCH REPATRIATION, SHE SAID.
SHE ADDED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE HOLDERS OF BN(0) PASSPORTS WERE INCLUDED IN ANY RECIPROCAL VISA AGREEMENT THAT THE HONG KONG SAR GOVERNMENT MIGHT CHOOSE TO ENTER INTO WITH OTHER STATES.
OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT BE LEFT OUT OF ARRANGEMENTS WHICH SHOULD BENEFIT ALL PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF THE HONG KONG SAR, SHE SAID.
MRS CHOW HOPED THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WOULD HELP TO RESOLVE THIS POSSIBLE ANOMALY.
EXPRESSING CONCERN
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