TNAG-0203-FCO40-239-Immigration-control-1969 — Page 155

Mr. Gaminara,

Hong Kong Department •

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It is quite true that most Commonwealth countries operate an immigration control for Commonwealth citizens directed against persons intending more than a visit. See attached schedule.

These controls are rarely operated through a visa requirement and less rarely at the point of entry. More usually permission to stay for more than a visit is given by means of a permit issued after arrival. However, some countries, such as Australia and India, have permit or visa requirements which discriminate against the holders of Hong Kong passports who are Chinese. It is known to us through contacts with a wide variety of Commonwealth Immigration officials that although some Commonwealth countries may not appear through any published requirements or in instructions to their own officials to discriminate in any way against Chinese, they nevertheless regard any increase in their Chinese communities with caution and concern.

From the point of view of the extra burden that will fall on British visa issuing officers Hong Kong's proposals have the merit of being selective and we at least will not be called upon to give optional visas to visitors.

I suggest that Hong Kong be asked to indicate which British visa issuing posts are likely to be required to handle a significant increase of work. I doubt whether there will be many. I cannot deduce them from Hong Kong's travel statistics.

While I accept the force of the arguments that politically it is best to avoid being seen to be applying immigration controls in a discriminatory fashion, nevertheless sweeping innovations introduced to deal with problems created only by particular nationalities inevitably throw a burden on our posts abroad and I would have thought it would be defensible for Hong Kong to restrict their control to the cause of concern, i.e., Indians and Pakistanis.

I have no copy of Hong Kong Immigration ordinances but I was under the impression that the Governor already had powers to remove undesirable Commonwealth citizens from the Colony. Has he no powers to deport those ineligible for residence or settlement or do they go to ground and disappear like the Chinese illegal immigrants?

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Ero Defile

(J.H. Mallett)

Migration and Visa Department.

3 July, 1969.