TNAG-1407-FCO40-1882-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 34

CODE 18-77

has

seen

Mr Ehrman,

HKD

JAL ANJ

Reference....

321

HONG KONG TELNO 2429:

1.

ACCEPTABILITY OF BN (0) PASSPORTS IN CANADA

BDTC passports issued in Hong Kong are issued in name of Governor. HK BDTC passports are stamped with holders right of abode in Hong Kong. Presumably that is why Canadians can accept HK BDTCS without visas they have returnability to "country" of issue. Of course this does not explain Canadian acceptance of passports issued outside Hong Kong to Hong Kong BDTCS by British Consular posts these passports are ordinary British passports, apart from the different national status and Hong kong right of abode stamps on pages 1 and 5.

However Canadians must have got round this by accepting that such passports were issued on behalf of the Goverment of Hong Kong.

2.

BN (0) passports will be different. They will be issued in the name of the Secretary of State. Country of issue will therefore be the UK, in which holder will not have right of abode. Certainly BN (0)s will have returnability to Hong Kong, ie to a "territory" of the metropolitan country of issue but after 1 July 1997 that will not apply.

3.

be of

I do not think we should speculate what the outcome will formal approaches to Governments on the acceptability of BN (0) passports and entry facilities but I can foresee difficulties with the Canadians because of these fundamental differences and

and the problem of continui ty. Therefore, coupled with their strict immigration requirements, The not think that

do we should ask Hong Kong to make further approaches to the Canadian Commissioner on this in advance of our formal approach in Ottawa. We could easily get bogged down and we have not yet had a chance to formulate our final line with other departments.

ожи

M T Hill

Hong Kong Department WH 305 233 3722

8 November 1985

41411 040/28

RECEIVED

DES!

INDEX

REGISTRY

20 NOV 1985

Taken