TNAG-1557-FCO40-2121-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 177

GRS 300

CONFIDETIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 07120OZ FCO

TELNO 52

OF 071055Z JANUARY 86

CONFIDENTIAL

INFO DESKBY 080100Z PEKING

14

21

TOP COPY

YOUR TELNO-26 : NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL : ENDOPSEMENT IN BN (0) PASSPORTS.

WHEN EXCO CONSIDERED THIS MORNING THE ENDORSEMENT IN BN (0) PASSPOPTS, MEMBERS ACCEPTED THAT THERE MAY BE SOME TRAVELLERS TO THE UK WHO HOLD BN (0) PASSPORTS BUT WHO WILL NOT (NOT) QUALIFY FOR ENTRY AS VISITORS. THEY POINTED OUT THAT THE UNQUALIFIED RIGHT OF BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS TO VISIT THE UK SHOULD BE, READ IN THE CONTEXT OF ''BONA FIDE' TRAVELLERS REFERRED TO IN THE NEXT SENTENCE OF MISS DUNN'S LETTER.

2. THEY THOUGHT THAT THE ENDORSEMENT WE HAVE BEEN SUGGESTING THAT ''THE HOLDER OF THIS PASSPORT DOES NOT REQUIRE AN ENTRY CERTIFICATE OR A VISA TO ENTER THE UK AS A VISITOR' SHOULD BE RELATIVELY EASY TO AMEND TO MEET THEIR POINT AND IT WAS THIS FORMAL ADVICE THAT SHOULD PURSUE THIS WITH HMG. AS SEEN FROM HERE THE DIFFICULTY YOU SEE IN PARA 1 OF YOUR TEL COULD BE MET BY SIMPLY PUTTING THE WORDS BONA FIDE'' IF FROM OF ''VISITOR'' THEY DID NOT (NOT) TAKE TO THE FORMULA YOU SUGGESTED IN PARA 6 OF YOUR TUR.

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3. THEY ALSO AGREED THAT, TO AVOID ANY DOUBT AS TO THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE TERM 'BONA FIDE VISITOR'', RECIPIENTS OF THE BN (0) PASSPORT SHOULD BE GIVEN A LEAFLET EXPLAINING WHAT THEY ARE. THE GIST WOULD BE THAT A BONA FIDE VISITOR IS SOMEONE WHO MEETS THE RULSE REGARDING VISITORS: AND THAT IF ME FEELS HE MIGHT HAVE DIFFICULTY IS SO DOING HE HAS THE OPTION TO APPLY FOR AN ENTRY CERTIFICATE IN HONG KONG.

нак особа

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

- 8 JAN 1986

REGISTRY

PA

Action Taker,

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

4).

CONFIDENTIAL