SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1986
HK'S ATTRACTION REFLECTED IN IMMIGRATION WORKLOAD
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HONG KONG'S ATTRACTION AS A GOOD PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE AND TO DO BUSINESS, AND THE INCREASING PROSPERITY OF LOCAL PEOPLE, ARE REFLECTED IN THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT'S WORKLOAD, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE SERVICE'S SILVER JUBILEE PARADE, SIR EDWARD SAID THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED NEARLY 1.3 MILLION APPLICATIONS FOR VISAS AND EXTENSIONS OF STAY AND ISSUED MORE THAN 870 000 TRAVEL DOCUMENTS IN 1985.
HE SAID HE WAS IMPRESSED BY THE WAY IN WHICH THE DEPARTMENT HAD RESPONDED TO A VERY RAPID INCREASE IN BUSINESS WITH A CHEERFUL ACCEPTANCE OF A GREATER CASELOAD, AND NO LOSS OF EFFICIENCY OR COURTESY.
OUTLINING THE HISTORY OF THE HONG KONG IMMIGRATION SERVICE, SIR EDWARD EXPLAINED THAT A FORM OF IMMIGRATION CONTROL WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN HONG KONG IN 1923.
+BUT IT WAS ONLY IN THE EARLY 1950'S, IN THE FACE OF A SUSTAINED FLOW OF IMMIGRANTS INTO HONG KONG, THAT A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF CONTROLS WAS ESTABLISHED, WITH THE AIM OF LIMITING THE INFLUX OF NEW POPULATION TO ACCEPTABLE LEVELS,+ HE SAID.
AS THE PROBLEMS OF ENFORCING IMMIGRATION CONTROLS BECAME MORE COMPLEX, IT WAS DECIDED THAT A SEPARATE IMMIGRATION SERVICE, WITHIN A NEW IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT TO TAKE OVER THE WORK FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE WAS FORMED.
THE DEPARTMENT CAME INTO BEING ON AUGUST 4, 1961, WITH A STRENGTH OF 201 MEN AND WOMEN, OF WHOM 73 WERE MEMBERS OF THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE.
+FROM THIS SMALL BEGINNING, THE DEPARTMENT HAS GROWN INTO A MODERN AND EFFICIENT ORGANISATION WITH A STAFF OF ALMOST 5 000, OF WHOM ABOUT HALF ARE MEMBERS OF THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.
+ IT HAS ALSO TAKEN ON WORK BEYOND IMMIGRATION CONTROL, FOR EXAMPLE THE ISSUING OF IDENTITY CARDS AND THE REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.+
HOWEVER, HONG KONG HAD CHANGED ITS IMMIGRATION CONTROL PROCEDURES CONSIDERABLY SINCE 1961.
+THE AIM HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO ALLOW VISA-FREE ENTRY FOR AS MANY TOURISTS AND BUSINESS VISITORS AS POSSIBLE, BUT SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THE TASK WAS FAR FROM EASY.
AN IMMIGRATION