XN000022-1976-07-07 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1976.

U.K. ENTRY CERTIFICATES

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THE PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS FOR U.K. ENTRY CERTIFICATES FROM HONG KONG BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS USUALLY TAKES ONLY FOUR DAYS TO COMPLETE, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES, SAID TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR. THE HON. CHUNG SZE-YUEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, HE SAID THAT IN SOME CASES THE APPLICATIONS MIGHT HAVE TO BE REFERRED TO THE U.K. AUTHORITIES, IN WHICH CASE COMPLETION MIGHT TAKE UP TO FOUR WEEKS.

PEOPLE WHO APPLY FOR SUCH ENTRY CERTIFICATES ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A STANDARD U.K. FORM CONTAINING 20 QUESTIONS AND TO FILL IN A SUPPLEMENTARY FORM IN CERTAIN CASES, HE ADDED.

+THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION IS REQUIRED TO ASCERTAIN THE THE APPLICANT'S FINANCIAL MEANS BUT IT IS NOT ALWAYS NECESSARY TO SCRUTINISE BANK STATEMENTS,+ MR. DAVIES EXPLAINED.

AS TO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCEDURE MR. DAVIES SAID THAT SO FAR, THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION WAS AWARE OF ONLY ONE RECENT COMPLAINT, MADE ANONYMOUSLY IN THE PRESS.

+UNFORTUNATELY THE COMPLAINANT HAS NOT RESPONDED TO AN INVITATION TO CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT AND CANNOT BE TRACED FROM THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN HIS LETTER,+ HE SAID.

IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, MR. DAVIES SAID, IT WAS NOT PROPOSED TO MAKE PRESENTATIONS TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO MINIMISE THE RED-TAPE FOR SUCH APPLICATIONS.

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