TNAG-1406-FCO40-1881-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 239

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- 9 AUG 1985

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FM HONG KONG 0610352 AUG 95

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1536 OF 6 AUGUST

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

Action in en

ADVANCE COPY

YOUR TELNO 1136 : HONG KONG AGREE IEHT : PASOPORTS.

WE CONFIRM THE FOLLOWING -

ATE

на них

FED

NTD

3

105

Sir W. Harding

Polete for

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be such presumably

need to oubmit"

х

once the

Secretary of State returns from leave

(A) YOUR PARA. 1(A). BDTCS WISHING TO AVOID RLAPPLYING FOR VISAS SHOULD BE ADVISED, AS A FIRST STEP, TO ASK THE FOREIGN COUNTRIES CONCERNED TO TRANSFER THE VISA TO THE NEW PASSPORT. IF THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE ADVISED TO DELAY APPLYING FOR BN(0) PASSPORTS. WE ESTIMATE THAT MOST COUNTRIES WOULD BE WILLING TO TRANSFER VISAS TO NEW PASSPORTS, AND CASES IN WHICH THIS COULD NOT BE DONE SHOULD BE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, ABOUT ONE OR TWO IN A YEAR.

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(D) YOUR PARA. 1(2). WE WILL CONTINUE TO ISSUE FAMILY PASSPORTS TO ARY DDTCS WHO WISH TO HAVE THE", INCLUDING THOSE APPLYING FOR DK(0) STATUS, UNTIL THE TRADITIONAL BLUE PASSPORT IS REPLACED BY THE MKP.

(C) YOUR PARA. 1(C). WE AGREE THAT, INSTEAD OF ADOPTING THE EMERGENCY MEASURES TAKEN IN 1972, BN (0)S WISHING TO TRAVEL URGENTLY TO COUNTRIES WHERE THE ABSENCE OF A RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT COULD CAUSE DIFFICULTIES COULD BE ISSUED WITH BDTC PASSPORTS WITH THE MINIMUM PERIOD OF VALIDITY NECESSARY FOR THE PURPOSE OF THEIR TRAVEL.

(D) YOUR PARA. 1(D). WE WOULD WELCOME SOME FORM OF AUTHORITY FROM The SECRETARY OF STATE TO ISSUE UK PASSPORTS. WE WOULD CHARGE THE APPROPRIATE FEE UNDER THE CONSULAR FEES ACT 1920 AND WOULD BEAR ALL ADMINISTRATIVE AND PRODUCTION COSTS OF PASSPORTS ISSUED IN HONG KONG. WE WILL KEEP THE TOTAL FEE REVENUE IN LINE WITH THE EXISTING PRACTICE OF KEEPING THE FEE REVE JUL FROM THE EXERCISE OF CONSULAR FUNCTIONS UNDER THE CONSULAR FEES ACT 1280.

(c) YOUR PARA. 2. WE WILL START WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON THE DESIGN OF APPLICATION FORMS FOR 2N(J) PASSPORTS, AND ON THE EXPLANATORY LEAFLET THAT GOES WITH IT, AND WILL CLEAR BOTH ITEMS WITH YOU IN DUE COURSE.

AKERS-JONCS

NN