TNAG-0663-FCO40-812-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 157

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of applications depends entirely on the number of applicants qualified as immigrants in each place.

6.

Validity of Permits and Returnability

Once an exit permit is issued to an applicant, the validity of returnability as well as the presentation of the permit for use ranges from one to three months for residents residing in Southern Provinces, such as Kwangtung and Fukien, nearest to Hong Kong. In place farther than Kwangtung and Fukien, the validity ranges from three to six months. Residents in Peking and in provinces in the Northern part of China are normally granted six months' validity. Single Journey Permits are accorded with the same treatment, but no returnability facility in permitted, as these holders. are not expected to return to their mother country of domicile. Rough calculation indicates that for every arrival of 50 persons holding Double Journey Exit Permits, there will be a departure of one person.

That is to say that of the 50 arrivals, one of them will return to China within the validity of returnability at his/her own free will.

7.

Departure of Permit Holders from China

Feople residing in the Southern Province of China, when issued with Exit Permit prefer to make necessary preparation for departure to Hong Kong within one week to ten days after their documents become valid for use. It seems that these successful ones rather prefer to sacrifice their heavy belonging and leave China the sooner the better with only simple luggages instead of spending more time in settling their private affairs, if any, the handling of which may hold up their intention of leaving the country earlier. It is the impression of most of the successful ones that if they fail to depart as quickly as possible, their chances to look forward for freedom and better living conditions might be jeopardised to a certain extent resulting in the final cancellation of their permits by CPG Authorities. Therefore the majority of the arrivals are normally found bringing with them, apart from clothes worn by themselves in normal communist's style, only very simple belongings which sometimes included if the immigrants really have nothing else to take along with them, very old-styled cooking utilities considered absolutely out-of-date by people in Hong Kong.

Feople living in places North of or farther away from Kwangtung and Fukien, though surely need more time for travel still prefer to depart for Hong Kong at their quickest conveniences. It has been noticed that approximately about 80% of these people intend to leave China within one to two weeks, time; 15% within three to four weeks time; and only 5 within two to three months after their permits become valid for use. Their late departure does not mean that they want to hang round longer in China, but because they really have to attend affairs which are beyond their control. It is seldom to meet immigrants who would make use of their exit permits when they are due to expire soon.

8.

CPG Instructions to the Immigrants

When notified offically of the approval of an Exit Permit, and before the issue of one, the would-be immigrants in a district or county or province are given an appointment at the district Security Bureau for an interview during which some sort of briefying would normally be given. Three instructions below are commonly and repeatedly mentioned to the immigrants who are advised specifically to adhere to wherever their destinations would be :-