TNAG-1406-FCO40-1881-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 224

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110

108

HMK.

PRECEIVEL

Miss Veale

-

N and TD

cc Mr Ehrman - Hong Kong Dept.

Mr Grainger

J

Legal Advisers

Mr Grant Finance Department

Reference.

та Рос

Certainly we need to know costo involved before taking decisions. But in principle

to

I think it not sensille devolve the entire operation to

(with papers) HR & to let them

change fees to cover

then cost.

ISSUE OF BN(0) PASSPORTS IN HONG KONG

1. You considered arrangements for the future issue of passports to British Nationals (Overseas) in Hong Kong in your minute of 4 July.

2. I think we shall have to take this one stage at a time and not come to any conclusions about what is a reasonable expectation of the Home Office or of the Government of Hong Kong, still less give them promises of preliminary agreement, until we know more about the costs and scope of the problem. Principles of importance are:

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•9 AUG 1985

DESK O ICER

INDEX

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REGISTRYY

Action 1

to minimise the cost to the FCO;

to use existing financial and administrative arrangements for the issue of passports as models so far as possible; and

to bear in mind that whatever arrangements are made for the issue of BN(0) passports in Hong Kong up to 1997 may be something of a precedent for arrangements in Hong Kong thereafter.

3. I therefore think that it would be easier to consider the problem further if you could set out in more detail what is involved and what existing passport issuing arrangements are. The financial arrangements are an important part of the latter. Mr Grant in this Department is ready to help you further on this but the following preliminary comments may be of assistance.

4.

It would be helpful to know how many BN (0) passports it can be expected will be issued in Hong Kong and whether these will all be issued before 1997 with a relatively low level of re-issues and new issues (by our Consulate?) thereafter. As to existing passport issuing arrangements as models, there appear to be two. The first, which Hong Kong favour is that they should purchase blank passports and retain the fees for issuing them. If this were legally acceptable, would there be any extra costs for the FCO? The second alternative would be to treat the Government of Hong Kong as if it were a normal Consular agency for the FCO abroad. That would mean that the Home Office would, as now, provide blank passports for issue in Hong Kong as elsewhere abroad free of charge. I see no reason why we

If the should be in a hurry to bend on this principle.

Home Office finds the cost too much the alternative is for them to put in a PES bid, though this will not be possible for this year now. As to fees for issuing passports, under current arrangements, as you say, such receipts by our

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/consular

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