CONFIDENTIAL
31396
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REQUEST. AS WE HAVE MADE CLEAR ON MANY OCCASIONS, VISITORS FROM HONG KONG ARE WELCOME TO COME TO THE UNITED KINGDOM. BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS DO NOT HAVE TO OBTAIN A VISA IN ADVANCE TO VISIT THE UNITED KINGDOM. THIS IS THE POSITION UNDER THE CURRENT IMMIGRATION RULES AND THIS GOVERNMENT HAS NO INTENTION OF INTRODUCING ANY VISA REQUIREMENT FOR SUCH VISITORS. THIS IS UNDERSTANDABLY A MATTER OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO PEOPLE IN
HONG KONG. IN RESPONSE TO THEIR WISHES, THEREFORE, THE GOVERNMENT HAVE AGREED THAT AN ENDORSEMENT REFLECTING THIS POSITION SHOULD BE PLACED IN THE NEW BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS)
PASSPORTS. THE ENDORSEMENT WILL READ:
'IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM IMMIGRATION RULES, THE HOLDER OF THIS PASSPORT DOES NOT REQUIRE AN ENTRY CERTIFICATE OR VISA TO VISIT THE UNITED KINGDOM.'
A LEAFLET WILL BE ISSUED WITH EACH PASSPORT EXPLAINING THE ENDORSEMENT AND THE POSITION UNDER THE IMMIGRATION RULES.
THE COUNCIL'S SECOND REQUEST WAS THAT FORMER SERVICEMEN IN HONG KONG WHO SERVED IN THE DEFENCE OF HONG KONG IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR SHOULD BE GRANTED BRITISH CITIZENSHIP. THE NUMBER INVOLVED IS ABOUT 270. IN VIEW OF THEIR PARTICULAR SERVICE, THE GOVERNMENT WILL MEET THE SPIRIT OF THIS REQUEST. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE UNDER THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981 TO CONFER BRITISH CITIZENSHIP ON THEM ALL REGARDLESS OF THE NATURE OF THEIR SERVICE OR THEIR PRESENT CITIZENSHIP. BUT I WILL CONSIDER SYMPATHETICALLY APPLICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION AS BRITISH CITIZENS UNDER SECTION 4(5) OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981 FROM ANY WHO ARE ELIGIBLE UNDER THIS PROVISION BECAUSE THEY ARE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS OR OTHER BRITISH NATIONALS AND BECAUSE THEY SERVED UNDER THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG, FOR EXAMPLE IN THE HONG KONG VOLUNTEERS. THE NUMBER WHO MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE IS LIKELY TO BE ABOUT 60. I AM ALSO READY FROM TODAY TO ACCEPT AND GRANT APPLICATIONS FROM ANY OF THE 270 OR SO FORMER SERVICEMEN IN HONG KONG TOGETHER WITH THEIR DEPENDANTS WHO WISH TO COME TO THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR SETTLEMENT.
THE COUNCIL'S THIRD REQUEST WAS THAT THOSE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS WHO WERE NOT ETHNICALLY CHINESE
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CONFIDENTIAL
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