TNAG-1095-FCO40-1345-Visas-for-Chinese-nationals-visiting-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 76

PS 1100

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTAL

131100Z MAY 31

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 497 OF 13 MAY

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

HKK

345/4

RECEIVIC 1217*** 0. $1 1 4 MAY 1081

DESK OLAILER

INDEX

PA

(16

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON

低

مثال

YOUR TELNO 441 AND PEKING TELNO 329: HONG KONG TRANSIT VISAS.

Action ipke

PC 2715

HE HAVE BEEN REEXAMINING THE QUESTION OF TRANSIT VISAS IN THE LIGHT

OF PROBLEMS RAISED IN TWO TURS. LIKE YOU AND PEKING, WE SEE

CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTIES IN DEALING WITH EMBASSY STAFFING

PROBLEMS BY POSTING HONG KONG IMMIGRATION OFFICERS THERE. THIS WAS See/17

NOT SOMETHING WE HAD ENVISAGED DOING.

2. WE STILL DO NOT LIKE THE ALTERNATIVE IDEA OF USING CTS AS A

DIRECT LINK TO IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT (NOR ARE WE SURE THAT THIS IS

WHAT THE CHINESE HAD IN MIND). THERE ARE MANY POSSIBLE PROBLEMS:

AMONGST THEM GIVING CTS (AND POSSIBLY A FUTURE VISA OFFICE) THE

ROLE OF QUASI-SPONSOR: INEVITABLE DELAY: AND FEARS ABOUT THE EXTENT

OF CORRUPTION IN THE LOCAL CTS.

3. A MORE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFICULTY IS THE INEFFECTIVENESS AS A METHOD OF CONTROL OF A REMOTELY OPERATED VISA SYSTEM. WE HAVE TO

KEEP FIRMLY IN MIND THE BACKGROUND TO THE TRANSIT PROBLEM.

LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE CLAIMING TO PE IN TRANSIT CLEARLY HAVE

THE INTENTION OF STAYING IN HONG KONG. EVEN NOW IT IS ONLY WITH

GREAT DIFFICULTY AND MUCH ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORT THAT WE HAVE

SUCCEEDED IN REDUCING TO 3 PER CENT THE NUMBER WHO FAIL TO GO ON.

IF VISAS WERE ISSUED BY IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ON THE BASIS OF

DOCUMENTS FORWARDED THROUGH CTS, IT WOULD STILL BE NECESSARY TO

CHECK BONA FIDES ON ARRIVAL AND PROBABLY TO DISALLON TRANSIT TO A

NUMBER OF DOUBTFUL CASES. TO A LESSER DEGREE, DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF PERSONAL INTERVIEWING, THIS WOULS ALSO BE TRUE IF VISAS WERE ISSUED BY THE EMBASSY. CONSEQUENTLY, WE COULD FINISH WITH AN INEFFECTIVE SYSTEM COUPLED WITH THE NEED TO INTERVIEW AND REJECT ON ARRIVAL SOME WITH VALID VISAS. THIS MIGHT WELL INCREASE CHINESE COMPLAINTS ABOUT DISCRIMINATION.

4. A MORE FUNDAMENTAL SOLUTION WOULD BE TO ALLOW KAI TAK AIRPORT

TO BE USED BY CHINESE ORDINARY PASSPORT HOLDERS IN TRANSIT IN THE

SAME WAY AS LOWU HOW OPERATES. THIS WOULD ADD TO IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT'S BURDENS AND INCREASED NUMBERS WOULD ADD TO THE DIFFICULTIES AND TO DELAYS IN PROCESSING PASSENGERS, CONSEQUENTLY WE COULD ONLY MAKE THE CHANGE ON THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

(A) THOSE CONCERNED SHOULD HAVE ORDINARY CHINESE PASSPORTS, VALI? ONWARD VISAS (OR VISA PROMIS LETTERS) AND VALID ONWARD TICKETS: (E) TOTAL MUMBERS OF PASSPORT HOLDERS TRANSITTING HONG KONG WOULD NOT RISE APPRECIABLY ABOVE THE PRESENT LEVEL (ABOUT 65 FER DAY) (C) TRANSIT VISAS WOULD NORMALLY BE GIVEN FOR ONE WEEK ON ARRIVAL TO THOSE WITH A VALID REASON AND A CLEAR INTENTION OF GOING ON. IT WOULD BE UP TO 1 MIGRATION OFFICERS TO INSIST ON IMMEDIATE TRANSIT TO THE ONWARD DESTINATION SHOULD THEY HAVE DOURTS AFOUT THE INTENT-

CONFIDENTAL

/IONS OF

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