TNAG-0318-FCO40-354-Legislation-for-immigration-and-deportation-in-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 22

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No. 51

-COCT 1971

HKK 18/10

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London S.W.1

From The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

29 September, 1971

19

441

I am sorry I have not been in a position before this to reply to your letter of 23 August about the Hong Kong Immigration Bill.

In 1969 the Hong Kong Government enacted legislation which extended to Commonwealth citizens the controls which it operated, through a system of visas and re-entry permits, over the entry of aliens into the Colony. Controls of this nature over the entry of Commonwealth citizens had already been imposed by most countries, both inside and outside the Commonwealth, and the Hong Kong Government considered at the time that it was necessary in the Colony's own interests that they should take similar action.

The Immigration Bill to which Mr. D. Mitchell refers in his letter does not seek to impose any additional restrictions on the freedom of entry into Hong Kong of citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies. Visas are not necessary in the case of citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who hold United Kingdom passports issued in the United Kingdom unless they are issued on behalf of another Government. No change in these requirements is contemplated in consequence of the enactment of the Bill.

However, the Bill does seek, inter alia, to facilitate the removal from the Colony of persons (including citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who are not belongers of Hong Kong)

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