TNAG-2082-FCO40-2963-Policy-on-visas-and-entry-certificates-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 84

VISAS FOR FOREIGN RESIDENTS

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{

162334.

MDHOAN 9577

1. WEF 1 JUNE 1990 FOREIGNERS COMING TO HONG KONG FOR RESIDENCE, EMPLOYMENT, INVESTMENT AND EDUCATION (OTHER THAN THOSE FOR SHORT-TERM EMPLOYMENT OR EDUCATION, ETC) WILL BE ISSUED WITH ENTRY VISAS FOR A STAY OF 12 MONTHS IN THE FIRST INSTANCE. PRESENT, THESE VISAS NORMALLY SPECIFY A STAY OF 6 MONTHS.

2. IN LINE WITH THIS CHANGE, BRITISH CITIZENS, WHO ARE NOW ALLOWED TO STAY FOR 6 MONTHS WITHOUT VISAS, WILL NORMALLY BE ALLOWED TO STAY FOR 12 MONTHS INITIALLY.

3.

AT

VISAS APPROVED REPEAT APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT BEFORE 1 JUNE 1990 ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THIS CHANGE. THESE VISAS WILL STILL BE GOOD FOR A STAY OF 6 MONTHS OR SUCH OTHER PERIODS AS MAY

BE SPECIFIED.

4. FOREIGN RESIDENTS (OTHER THAN FOREIGN STUDENTS, FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS AND CONTRACT WORKERS ADMITTED UNDER A SPECIAL SCHEME OF IMPORTATION OF LABOUR) MAY ALSO APPLY FOR UNCONDITIONAL STAY ON COMPLETION OF 7 YEARS RESIDENCE IN HONG KONG. UNDER THE

EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS, THEY CAN ONLY DO SO ON COMPLETION OF 9 YEARS RESIDENCE HERE.

5. CONCURRENTLY, FOREIGN RESIDENTS WILL NOT NORMALLY REQUIRE

RE-ENTRY VISAS TO RESUME RESIDENCE IN HONG KONG. PROVIDED THAT THERE IS NO CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES SINCE THEIR LAST DEPARTURE AND THAT THEY RETURN TO HONG KONG WITHIN 12 MONTHS OR THE LIMITATION OF STAY IMPOSED, WHICHEVER IS THE SHORTER PERIOD. THE WAIVING OF RE-ENTRY VISAS DOES NOT, HOWEVER, APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES OF PERSONS:

(A) SOVIET BLOC NATIONALS, NATIONALS OF ADMINISTRATIONS NOT RECOGNISED BY HMG, PRC PASSPORT HOLDERS, HOLDERS OF PASSPORTS ISSUED BY ARGENTINA, IRAN, LIBYA, YEMEN ARAB REPUBLIC, SYRIA, IRAQ AND LEBANON, AND HOLDERS OF VATICAN SERVICE PASSPORTS AND COSTA RICAN PROVISIONAL PASSPORTS:

(B) PERSONS NOT HOLDING A NATIONAL PASSPORT: AND

(C) FOREIGN STUDENTS, FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS AND CONTRACT WORKERS ADMITTED UNDER A SPECIAL SCHEME OF IMPORTATION OF LABOUR.

6.

POSTS SHOULD DIRECT ANY INDIVIDUAL QUERIES TO IMMIGRATION

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