TNAG-0905-FCO40-1115-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 105

GR $95

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 296914Z MAY 79

TO PRIORITY PEKING

HKK 341

RECEIVED IN EOSY NO. 51

-

1 JUN 179

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

по

PA

ре

TELNO.95 OF 29 MAY,

INFO F C 0.

10

82

1.

YOUR TELNO.39(NOT TO FCO) TRANSIT VISAS FOR P.R. C PRIVATE PASSPORT HOLDERS.

WE HAVE REMINDED THE NONA (WHO HAVE ALCO RAISED THIS PROBLEM WITH US) THAT THE AGREEMENT OVER THE THROUGH-TRAIN EXCLUDES CHINESE PASSPORT HOLDERS WITHOUT VISAS FOR HONG KONG FRON

TRAVELLING ON 1.

2.

YOU WILL APPRECIATE THAT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF IMMIGRATION CONTROLS HERE (IY TELNO.648 TO FCO) THE PROBLEM OF TRANSIT VISAS MUST NOW BE SEEN IN A WIDER CONTEXT THAN WAS ENVISAGED WHEN GEORGE SPOKE TO THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION IN MARCH. WE MAY EVENTUALLY NEED TO INSIST THAT TRANSIT VISAS ARE OBTAINED BEFORE ARRIVAL AT LOWU. IN THE MEANTIME, GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD ISSUE TRANSIT VISAS ONLY WHERE THERE IS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE, BEGIDEO AN OWARD VISA, OF THE ABILITY AND INTENTION TO LEAVE HONG KONG WITHIN 46 HOURS. THIS WILL CLOSE THE LOOPHOLE OF APPLICANTS WITH VISIT VISAS FOR COUNTRIES SUCH AS YUGOSLAVIA (SULLIVAN'S LETTER OF 19 MARON TO CLEIGHTHOLME, COPIED TO A V D) TO WHICH THEY CLEARLY DO

NOT INTEND TO TRAVEL.

3. OTRICT APPLICATION OF THE RULES FOR TRANSIT VISAS WOULD, WE BELIEVE, REDUCE THE NUMBER WHICH YOU ISSUE. WE SUGGEST THAT FOR THE PRESENT YOU SHOULD SIMPLY TELL DISAPPOINTED APPLICANTS THAT ITILL BE UP TO THEM ON ARRIVAL TO CONVINCE IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS THAT THEY GENUINELY INTEND TO TRANSIT HONG KONG.

MACL CHOSE CUS

FXD

1:|: ༡

CONFIDENTIA

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