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CONFIDENTIAL
LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: 11-17 JANUARY
BRIEF NO. 19: ENTRY CERTIFICATES FOR CERTAIN HONG KONG UK PASSPORT
HOLDERS
1.
When Mr Royle (then Minister of State, FCO) visited Hong Kong in late 1972, it was strongly represented to him that leading Hong Kong UK citizens subject to UK immigration control (including Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils) should be given entry certificates for the United Kingdom with a long-term validity, preferably up to four years. (Entry certificates may be used for an indefinite number of visits during their period of validity.) In support of this request it was argued that it was unreasonable that such persons should have to take out entry certificates every time they travelled to the United Kingdom and that. given their close connections with the UK, they should not be treated less favourably by the UK Government than they were treated by the United States Government, which commonly authorised the grant of four year multiple entry visas to leading Hong Kong businessmen.
2.
As persons subject to UK immigration control these Hong Kong UK citizens do not need entry certificates in order to enter the UK as visitors, but it is very much in their interest to obtain them in order to ensure, so far as possible, a trouble-free passage through the immigration controls on arrival. Entry certificates are normally valid for six months only, although there is provision for the issue of "Visitor B" twelve month entry certificates to important businessmen who have to travel frequently.
3. This matter was pursued with the Home Office at Ministerial level in 1973. The Home Office refused to consider extending the validity of entry certificates beyond twelve months; they argued that it would be difficult to restrict any more liberal arrangement to Hong Kong, and circumstances could change and the possibility of abuse would grow, the longer the period of validity. However, the Home Office later agreed that "Visitor B" twelve month entry
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