XN000022-1972-08-14 — Page 6

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Monday, August 14, 1972

DEMAND CONTINUES FOR BRITISH (HONG KONG) PASSPORTS

The demand for British (Hong Kong) Passports has continued unabated

and in June alone, a total of 3,677 was issued by the Immigration Department.

This was the highest figure ever recorded for any one month.

The Immigration Department issued 9,484 British (Hong Kong) passports

during the months of April, May and June this year, compared with 6,204 in

the previous three months, and 7,288 in the same period last year,

A spokesman for the department said today that one reason for the

demand was the large number of people travelling these days.

Entry Certificates issued by the department during the quarter

totalled 2,466, compared with 1,601 in the previous quarter and 2,363 in the

same period in 1971.

Applications for Certificates of Identity also increased.

During the three-month period, the Chinese Section of the Immigration

Department dealt with 48,186 applications, including those for Certificates of

Identity, U.K. visas, re-entry visas, extensions of stay and visit visa applications

This figure represents an increase of 29 per cent compared with 37,470

in the previous quarter and an increase of 65 per cent compared with 29,273 in the

corresponding period last year.

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