TNAG-2282-FCO40-3282-Hong-Kong-visa-policy-1991 — Page 119

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152077

MDHIAN 0385

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FM MANILA

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 60

OF 240815Z JANUARY 91

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

לי

HKE 345/1

?

а

pic 23/1

M

YOUR TELNOS 31 AND 32, HONG KONG TELNOS 5 AND 230 TO FCO: VISA WORK AND CONSULAR ADVICE: PHILIPPINES

1 THE VISA AND CONSULAR SECTIONS RE-OPENED TO THE PUBLIC ON 21 JANUARY BUT WITH LIMITED PUBLIC ACCESS AND UNDER TIGHT SECURITY. WE HAVE BEEN ADMITTING 10 VISA APPLICANTS AND 5 CONSULAR ENQUIRIES AT A TIME BUT WILL INCREASE TO 20 VISA APPLICANTS ON 25 JANUARY. BEFORE

THIS

SECURITY PROBLEM WE HAD UP TO 200 PEOPLE IN OUR WAITING ROOM. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO SEE APPLICANTS BY APPOINTMENT (IE SETTLEMENT CASES. TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF VISA AND CONSULAR SECTIONS ARE DISPLAYED AT THE PUBLIC ENTRANCE. WE HAVE HAD NO APPROACH FROM THE SHIPPING COMPANY MENTIONED IN YOUR FIRST TUR. NOR HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY LOCAL COMPLAINTS. OUR SECURITY MEASURES ARE MUCH IN LINE WITH OTHER EMBASSIES AND MATCH THE FLAVOUR OF PHILIPPINE REACTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IRAQI TERRORISTS ARE OPERATING IN MANILA.

2. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE OFFER IN HONG KONG TURS ON EMPLOYMENT VISAS AND WILL ADVISE APPLICANTS THAT THEY SHOULD DEAL DIRECT WITH EMPLOYERS. SUCH APPLICANTS WILL BE ADVISED THAT THEY MUST NOT TRAVEL TO HONG KONG WITHOUT A VISA, OR A PROMISORY LETTER WHICH HONG KONG WILL SEND TO THEM VIA THEIR EMPLOYER. WE SHALL KEEP THESE ARRANGEMENTS UNDER REVIEW WITH A VIEW TO RETURNING TO NORMAL AS SOON

AS POSSIBLE.

3.

SINCE 17 JANUARY WE HAVE RECEIVED OVER 600 EMPLOYMENT VISA APPROVALS.

BECAUSE OF THE NECESSITY TO LIMIT NUMBERS ADMITTED TO THE EMBASSY WE WILL NOW WRITE TO THOSE APPLICANTS ADVISING THAT VISAS HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND ASKING THAT THEY PRESENT OUR LETTER TO IMMIGRATION UPON ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG. WE WILL QUOTE HONG KONG'S REFERENCE NUMBER IN OUR LETTER TO APPLICANTS.

4. WE HAVE HAD AN ENQUIRY FROM THE PHILIPPINE OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT AGENCY CA GOVERNMENT BODY) ABOUT THE PRESENT SITUATION WITH REGARD TO HONG KONG VISAS AND WE WILL TELL THEM OF THE REVISED PROCEDURES. WE WILL DISPLAY NOTICES TO THE SAME EFFECT BUT WOULD NOT PROPOSE A MORE GENERAL PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT.

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