TNAG-2198-FCO40-3152-Hong-Kong-nationality-spouses-and-widows-of-British-expatria-1990 — Page 14

(iii)

the parties can maintain and accommodate

themselves adequately without recourse to

public funds.

In practice it is most unlikely that the existing spouse of an expatriate British citizen who has been

working overseas and is returning to the United Kingdom

would not meet these requirements. Last year only 4 out

of 269 applications for entry clearance as a spouse or

fiance (e) were refused in Hong Kong and the four cases

which were refused all involved the very different

situation where a person settled in the United Kingdom sought to bring in someone he or she was marrying from

abroad.

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We do, however, understand the concern of

expatriates that their spouses should be able to obtain

some evidence of their status and an assurance that if

they decided to come to the United Kingdom an application

for the necessary entry clearance would be processed

speedily. As Lord Ferrers announced in the House of

Lords on 23 July, we are therefore making arrangements

whereby the spouse of a British citizen resident in Hong

Kong may approach the Hong Kong Immigration Department

who act for us in entry clearance matters with evidence

of the marriage. The details will be noted in a register

of non-British citizen spouses of British citizens and

the spouse will be given a formal letter issued on behalf

of the Home Secretary confirming that the holder is married to a British citizen. The letter will explain

that the spouse is eligible to settle in the United

Kingdom provided that the requirements of the Immigration

Rules are met. It will also include an assurance that a

later application for entry clearance will be given