TNAG-1406-FCO40-1881-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 209

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BY BAG

CONFIDENTIAL

布政司署

香港下亞畢道

本署檔號 OUR REF:

(7) in SCR 3/2091/85

來函檔號 Your Ref:

Reply to me. Ip

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118

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

Nos Prest I my leaks we for advice pl

C&

wergpoho

Led 10/3

pending Mexico city's 9 August 1985

Mr. A.C. Galsworthy, CMG,

Hong Kong Department,

reply to our

Foreign and Commonwealth Office,

United Kingdom.

Rear Tony,

59

wilne 1011.

MKK 040/28

RECEIVE

15A 198:

DESK AMBOSH

Enter org/n ( meek.

HEISTY

Acti T:

Application from HK BDTCs

for visas to Mèxico

Tel do

Mexico

I refer to the Director of Immigration's letter of 28 May 1985 concerning complaints from two Hong Kong BDTCs living in the US about the Mexican Consulate-General's refusal to issue visas to them.

2.

Although we have so far only received accounts of two incidents of Hong Kong BDTCs living in the USA being refused visit visas to Mexico, we are worried that working behind those instances is a miscontrued and unfavourable conception of the Hong Kong BDTC status by a third country. This general fear is reinforced by Mr. Doherty's (Washington) letter of 18 July, also copied to you, noting that he too is aware of the problems encountered by Hong Kong BDTCs who wish to visit Mexico.

3.

As you will already have realized from the account of an application by Mrs. Patricia LUI, the reasons apparently given for refusal to issue visas to Hong Kong BDTC passport holders are -

14/8.

(i)

Hong Kong and Mexico have no diplomatic relations; and

(ii)

the Mexican authorities are

worried about Hong Kong BDTCs overstaying in Mexico,

especially 'in the light of the Joint Declaration'.

/The excuse.