XN000022-1973-05-23 — Page 12

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Wednesday, May 23, 1973

INCREASING DEMAND FOR BRITISH HONG KONG PASSPORTS

The number of applications for British (Hong Kong) passports

received by the Immigration Department is rising steadily, the Colonial

Secretary, the Hon Sir Hugh Norman-Walker, indicated today.

He told the Legislative Council that during the first four months

of this year a total of 12,685 applications were received.

Although he was satisfied that sufficient staff were provided to

deal with these applications, he said that if this substantial upward trend

continued, he would have to approach the Finance Committee for additional staff.

During the summer months, when demand was greatest, relief staff

were normally deployed from other sections of the department to help process

the applications.

Processing of straight forward applications, he said, normally

took 10 working days. But during the summer rush it could sometimes take

14 working days to process an application.

In a few cases, processing could take longer when qualifying documents

for the issue of a passport were not initially in order or where some doubt

existed as to the applicant's eligibility.

Even in such circumstances, however, a passport could usually be

issued within six to eight weeks of application.

Sir Hugh said that if more time was taken this would be due to the

applicant's slowness or inability to produce the necessary proof to establish

his eligibility.

/But