WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1991
20
"SINCE THE TIME WHEN AUSTRIA AND MAURITIUS
IMPOSED A
ΤΟ
VISA
WAIVE FOR
REQUIREMENT ON BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AT OUR
HAS BEEN TRYING TO PERSUADE AUSTRIA AND MAURITIUS REQUEST VISA
AS REQUIREMENTS FOR BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS IN THE SAME WAY BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS. EFFORTS ARE CONTINUING.
PERSUADE
"THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AT OUR REQUEST IS ALSO
ΤΟ EFFORTS
OTHER COUNTRIES то WAIVE
VISA THEIR
REQUIREMENTS, HE SAID.
MAKING
FT
THE SECRETARY NOTED THAT A VISA WAIVER AGREEMENT WITH POLAND, WHICH WOULD ALLOW BOTH BDTC AND BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS TO ENTER POLAND FOR SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT VISAS, HAD RECENTLY BEEN SIGNED.
IIE SAID.
"WE HOPE TO CONCLUDE MORE SUCH AGREEMENTS IN THE NEAR
THAT
FUTURE,
11
EXPLAINING THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED, MR ASPREY SAID THE GOVERNMENT NEEDED TO CONVINCE OTHER COUNTRIES
WHATEVER
PASSPORTS
TO THEY HELD - HONG KONG RESIDENTS WERE READILY RETURNABLE KONG AND HONG
WOULD NOT BE A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF ILLEGAL
IMMIGRATION.
"HOWEVER, SOME COUNTRIES REQUIRE ALL VISITORS TO HAVE VISAS MATTER WHERE THEY COME FROM.
NO
"THERE IS NO REALISTIC PROSPECT OF PERSUADING THEM TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR HONG KONG, HE ADDED.
LEGCO UPDATED ON PROGRESS OF BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME
THEIR
A TOTAL OF 3,606 PERSONS, INCLUDING 1,251 APPLICANTS AND 2,355 DEPENDANTS, HAVE BEEN ISSUED WITH CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRATION UNDER THE BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME AS AT NOVEMBER 16.
THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON EMILY LAU.
A BREAKDOWN OF THESE APPLICANTS, BY CLASS AND BY OCCUPATIONAL GROUP, IS AS FOLLOWS:
GENERAL OCCUPATIONAL CLASS
MANAGERS AND ADMINISTRATORS
NEWS EDITORS AND JOURNALISTS
204 (391}
38 (83)
26 (35)
/MEDICAL DOCTORS