TNAG-0203-FCO40-239-Immigration-control-1969 — Page 57

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CONFIDENTIAL

Foreign and Commonwealth Office London S.W.1

DRAFT Circular Saving Telegram to British Missions in

all Foreign and Commonwealth countries, to Governors

and Administrators of Dependent Territories, to the British Government Representative, Castries, and to the Commissioner and Consul, Tonga.

Immigration of Commonwealth Citizens into Hong Kong

There has hitherto been virtually no control over the

entry into Hong Kong of Commonwealth citizens. The Government

of Hong Kong has now decided to introduce a general scheme of

control over the entry into the Colony of persons from all

Commonwealth countries and dependent territories. The details

of the scheme and the reasons for its introduction are set out

below.

2.

The main reason for this decision is the continuing influx

into the Colony of unskilled Pakistanis and Indians. But there

is also a need to control the entry of unskilled persons from

all sources and for this reason and in order to avoid any

appearance of discrimination, the Hong Kong Government have

decided to apply the controls on a Commonwealth-wide basis

(with the exceptions mentioned in paragraph 4 below).

Method of Control'

3.

Persons from Commonwealth countries, including dependent

territories, will require an entry visa if they wish to enter

the Colony for the purpose of residence or employment.

Commonwealth citizens (with the exceptions of those mentioned

in paragraph 4 below) who arrive at the airport or by sea will

be liable to be refused permission to land if they do not possess

the necessary visas. The Director of Immigration, Hong Kong,

/ already

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CONFIDENTIAL

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