TNAG-0170-FCO40-206-British-Trade-Commissioner-1969 — Page 117

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You will be aware that Hong Kong residents fall into two classes. On the one hand we have those who possess Hong Kong British passports by virtue of their being naturalised British Citizens or from their birth in Hong Kong. It is a comparatively easy and swift procedure for a man possessing the Hong Kong British Passport, to have chopped into this passport a certificate of entry into the United Kingdom. Immigration authorities have discretion from the United Kingdom to issue these entry certificates provided they are satisfied as to the standing of the man, and as to his reasons for wanting to go to Britain.

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5. The main difficulties and delays occur when the applicant is a stateless person, possessing only a Hong Kong identity card. These are not as you may think, people of no consequence but commonly are citizens of considerable local standing and influence who, often for personal reasons, do not wish to adopt British nationality. As a first step such a man has to apply to the Immigration Department for a Certificate of Identity. This does not take very long (usually about 48 hours). He then has to fill out an application for a visa to enter the United Kingdom. The next step is that the Hong Kong Immigra- tion authorities make enquiries as to his standing from the Special Branch of the Police. These local enquiries may take some two weeks and here the first and unavoidable delay occurs. If these enquiries prove satisfactory, and if the applicant then wishes to visit for a period not exceeding three months, and if he goes merely as a visitor and does not wish to work, and if he has been resident in Hong Kong for more than four years, then the Immigration Department has discretion to chop a visa on his Certificate of Identity without reference to London.

If, however, the applicant cannot satisfy each and everyone of these conditions then his visa is referred to London. If the reference is effected by cable (at his expense) then the applicant may expect a decision after about four weeks. If the application is conducted by correspondence then the delay may well be six weeks.

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These significant delays contrast most unfavourably with the ability of a Hong Kong resident who possesses only a Certificate of Identity, to go to the German or American Consuls, in the Colony, and obtain a visa for entry to those countries with a minimum of delay. In the first place no local enquiries from the Special Branch are needed. In the second place the local Consuls have full discretion from their Governments to accept or reject the application, and to chop the necessary visas into the Certificate of Identity on payment of a fee.

7. In addition to this I am assured by the Immigration authorities here that it is their impression that Passport Officers working in British Consulates in foreign countries have greater discretion than they do about chopping visas to enter the United Kingdom onto Hong Kong Certificates of Identity.

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