TNAG-2082-FCO40-2963-Policy-on-visas-and-entry-certificates-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 19

LULV

LNVJAN 4657 HMLNAN 6461 RESTRICTED

PP MIVID

FM HKIMM TO MIVID!

280810Z AUG

GRS 478

RESTRICTED

FM IMMIG HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY MVD

TELNO VISA 85

•ME Thompson

HKBS 3+5/1

GVv 348/360

348/369/1

RA

29

!

1990

OF 28081CZ AUGUST 90

46

descun

47

Jou wish to any of this with

visiting HK IU's

Mhursday?

Hielo.

YOUR TELNO VISA 333 OF 7 AUG: TAIPEI VISA HANDLING UNIT (VHU)

1. WE APPRECIATE VHU'S PROBLEMS AS DESCRIBED IN TUR. NO DOUBT YOU ARE AWARE THAT SINCE MARCH 1972 WHEN THE HONG KONG

IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT TOOK UP THE ROLE OF UK VISA HANDLING AGENT FOR TAIWANESE RESIDENTS AND UP TO 30 MAY 1989 PRIOR TO THE CREATION OF THE VHU, NO APPLICATIONS WERE EVER REQUIRED TO FLY TO HONG KONG FOR INTERVIEWS EVEN THOUGH THEIR CASES WERE LESS THAN STRAIGHTFORWARD. AS A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION, YOU AGREED TO WAIVE GENERALLY THE REQUIREMENT TO PRODUCE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE OF ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS FOR SHORT-TERM ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSES, MEDICAL AND POLICE REPORTS IN SUPPORT OF APPLICATIONS FOR STUDENT VISAS FROM TAIWAN RESIDENTS. (YOUR LETTERS REF. GVV TAIW/345/1 DATED 13 MARCH 1986 AND 11 MAY 1983 REFER). IN THOSE CASES WHICH REQUIRED MORE DETAILED INFORMATION WE ASKED THE AUTHORISED AIRLINES (THROUGH WHICH THE APPLICATIONS WERE SUBMITTED) TO OBTAIN IT ON OUR BEHALF. YOU THEN MADE YOUR DECISIONS (EXAMPLES: MADAM LU LING CHUANG - HOME OFFICE REFERENCE HOK 406337 (APRIL 1989) AND MADAM WU CHANG SHEN - HOME OFFICE REFERENCE W214040 DATED 19 DECEMBER 1989.)

2. UPON THE FORMATION OF THE VHU, IT IS AGREED THAT WE WOULD STILL HANDLE PERSONAL CALLERS WHO HAPPEN TO BE VISITING HONG KONG OR ARE TEMPORARILY IN HONG KONG FOR WHATEVER REASONS. THE NUMBER OF SUCH PERSONAL CALLERS HAS BEEN SMALL (ONLY 5 SO FAR), ALL OF WHOM WERE STRAIGHTFORWARD.

3.

IF ALL APPLICANTS REQUIRING TO FURNISH FULL INTERVIEW DETAILS WERE TO BE TOLD TO APPLY OR TO ATTEND INTERVIEWS BY FLYING TO HONG KONG, THIS COULD WELL CREATE QUITE SIGNIFICANT INCONVENIENCE TO ALL CONCERNED. TAIWANESE RESIDENTS REQUIRE ENTRY PERMITS TO ENTER HONG KONG AND MUST NOMINATE IN ADVANCE A LOCAL SPONSOR TO SUPPORT THEIR APPLICATIONS. THE DURATION OF EACH VISIT IS NORMALLY ONLY BETWEEN 7 TO 14 DAYS.

THERE COULD ALSO BE OTHER PROCEDURAL AND LOGISTICAL DIFFICULTIES, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO IS TO NOTIFY APPLICANTS OF REFUSAL, AND IN CASE OF APPROVAL, WHERE SHOULD THE VISAS BE ISSUED. ETC. EVEN IF THESE DIFFICULTIES CAN BE RESOLVED, THE SYSTEM WILL BE SEEN AS CUMBERSOME, INCONVENIENT AND SLOW. THIS WILL ERODE THE SUCCESS OF THE VHU CONCEPT.

5. IT APPEARS TO US THAT THE VHU COULD FOLLOW OUR EXAMPLE IN THE PAST AND OBTAIN THE NECESSARY INFORMATION FOR YOU TO MAKE A DECISION WITHOUT HAVING TO INTERVIEW THE APPLICANTS. IF THERE IS ANY STRONG REASONS THAT YOU DO NOT CONSIDER THIS TO BE A VIABLE SOLUTION AND THAT THESE APPLICANTS MUST FLY TO HONG KONG FOR INTERVIEW, WE WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SIZE AND NATURE OF THE CASES WHICH MAY REQUIRE FULL INTERVIEWS, THE LIKELY PERIOD OF TIME THEY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT IN HONG KONG AND WHETHER IT IS POSSIBLE THAT APPLICANT WILL BE ASKED TO ATTEND REPEATED INTERVIEWS, BEFORE WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A SUBSTANTIVE REPLY.

FORD

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