TNAG-0665-FCO40-814-Visas-and-entry-certificate-policy-of-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 26

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Since the change of regime in South Vietnam in 1975, we have received over 25,000 applications from dependants in Vietnam to come to Hong Kong.

Some 3,500 have been approved so far, and 2,700 have actually arrived in H.K.. Because normal scheduled passenger services from Vietnam have been suspended since April 1975, the only way out of Ho Chi Minh City is by chartered flight. The French have been operating a weekly service which was used by Hong Kong dependants until late 1976, when we started our own charter operations. We have operated 16 flights to date. Because of the limited number of aircraft seats available we have been giving the highest priority to those applicants with the closest connections with Hong Kong.

I have reviewed Mr. TAN's case in the light of the additional information given in the petition, particularly the inheritance of property, from Mr. TAN's mother. Entry for the purposes of inheritance is not specifically covered in immigration policy and applications for this purpose are rare. Approval is likely to be approved only where the applicant himself has some close personal link with Hong Kong. It is unlikely that an application by Mr. TAN in 1969 (when the inheritance occurred) would have been successful on the information presently available. There are even less grounds for approving now, eight years later.

One of my senior officers who goes to Ho Chi Minh City with every chartered flight will raise this case on 31st Ausust with Samuel Maideen who is looking after British interests there, to see whether there are any other factors not yet disclosed, such as previous residence on the part of Mr. TAN or his wife in Hong Kong, or particularly difficult circumstances for the family in Ho Chi Minh City, which would justify a reversal of the refusal and if so what degree of priority should be accorded. In practice this will mean Maideen interviewing Mr. TAN, who will thus be aware that the petition is receiving attention.

I will let you know by telegram, hopefully in about two weeks' time, whether Maideen has elicited any further facts that might warrant changing the decision.

C.C.

Miss B. Luke, British Embassy,

Hanoi.

Чам

Yours over Marker hulas Никий

Rulands

J. M. Rowlands Director of Immigration