TNAG-1407-FCO40-1882-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 118

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GRS 400

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2429

OF 070405Z NOVEMBER 85

INFO PRIORITY OTTAWA

CONFIDENTIAL

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TOP COPY

PARA. 3 OF FCO TELNO 1636: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED :

ACCEPTABILITY OF BN(0) PASSPORT : CANADA.

IN INFORMAL DISCUSSION WITH SECRETARY FOR SECURITY YESTERDAY, THE CANADIAN COMMISSIONER AND HIS TWO ASSISTANTS INDICATED THAT

(A) THEIR 'HEADQUARTERS' WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE BN(0) PASSPORT BECAUSE UNDER REGULATION 14(3) (A) OF THEIR

IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS 1978 AS AMENDED BY THE ORDER IN COUNCIL

OF APRIL 1983 EVERY VISITOR TO CANADA WAS REQUIRED TO BE IN

POSSESSION OF 'A VALID AND SUBSISTING PASSPORT VALID FOR TRAVEL

TO CANADA, ISSUED TO THAT VISITOR BY THE COUNTRY OF WHICH HE IS A CITIZEN OR NATIONAL AND RECOGNISED BY THE COUNTRY OF ISSUE AS

GIVING THAT VISITOR THE RIGHT TO ENTER THE COUNTRY OF ISSUE. THE BN(0) PASSPORT, WHETHER BEFORE OR AFTER 1997, MIGHT NOT BE AN ACCEPTABLE PASSPORT UNDER THIS REGULATION BECAUSE THE HOLDER WOULD NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENTER THE COUNTRY OF ISSUE, THE UNITED

KINGDOM:

(B) AS FAR AS THEY WERE AWARE, THE PROBLEM WITH BOCS WAS PARTLY SOLVED BY THE ISSUE OF MINISTER'S PERMITS' FOR ENTRY INTO CANADA

TO SOME BOCS. NO AMENDMENT TO THE 1983 ORDER IN COUNCIL HAD BEEN MADE TO ACCOMMODATE THE BOCS. ON BEING TOLD OF THE ANSWER GIVEN BY HMG TO A PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION IN NOVEMBER 1983 IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT'S REFUSAL TO GRANT ENTRY AS VISITORS TO BOCS, THEY UNDERTOOK TO RESEARCH THE APPARENT ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOMMODATION MADE IN 1983 AND TO SEE IF THE SAME

ACCOMMODATION COULD APPLY TO BN (0)S:

(C) IF NECESSARY IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO AMEND THE 1983 ORDER IN

COUNCIL TO ACCOMMODATE BN (0)S:

(D) IF THIS TECHNICAL PROBLEM COULD BE SOLVED IN REGARD TO BN (0)S, THEY SAW NO REASON WHY THE EXISTING VISA ABOLITION ARRANGEMENTS APPLYING TO HONG KONG BDTCS VISITING CANADA FOR NOT MORE THAN 90

DAYS SHOULD NOT APPLY TO BN (0)S.CONFIDENTIAL

040128

нин

RECEIVED IN REG-STRY

- 7 NOV 1985

12.

PA

roy

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