TNAG-2324-FCO40-3368-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-Vietnamese-boat-people-1991 — Page 40

CONFIDENTIAL

1

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 10080OZ FCO

TELNO 1051

OF 10040OZ APRIL 91

HKC241/4

Pw

070316

MDHIAN 1614

PERSONAL FOR BRUCE, SEAD, FROM LEEKS.

(47)

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 682: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS: IMMIGRATION

ORDINANCE.

·

1 TELECON BRUCE/LEEKS ON 9 APRIL ASKED FOR DETAILS OF HOW MANY ASYLUM SEEKERS ARE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SCREENED NOW, HOW LONG THE PROCESS TAKES, AND WHETHER IT IS LIKELY TO TAKE LONGER IN FUTURE.

THE ANSWERS ARE:-

(A) ABOUT 3,000 ARE IN THE SYSTEM AT ANY ONE TIME (I.E. BETWEEN FIRST INTERVIEW BY IMMIGRATION AND FINAL RECEIPT OF NOTICE OF RSRB'S DECISION IN THE EVEN THAT THEY HAVE APPEALED AGAINST IMMIGRATION'S DECISION

(B) THE PROCESS FROM FIRST INTERVIEW (TO PROVIDE IMMIGRATION WITH BIODATA FOR THE SCREENING INTERVIEW) UP TO RECEIPT OF RSRB

DECISION IS ABOUT THREE MONTHS (ONE MONTH OF THIS IS A STATUTORY

REQUIREMENT TO ALLOW THOSE SCREENED OUT BY IMMIGRATION 28 DAYS TO

APPEAL TO RSRB):

(C) AS INDICATED IN MY TELEGRAM NO. 1025 (PARA.5(D) (II)) THERE IS

NOW ABOUT A TWO-YEAR QUEUE FOR SCREENING I.E. SOMEONE WHO

ARRIVED IN EARLY SUMMER 1989 IS NOW COMING UP FOR HIS FIRST INTERVIEW. WE DO NOT/NOT INTEND THAT (IF AT ALL POSSIBLE) THIS QUEUE SHOULD LENGTHEN ANY FURTHER, AND ARE EXPLORING WAYS (E.G. REDEPLOYMENT OF EXISTING IMMIGRATION RESOURCES) OF ENSURING IT DOES NOT.

WILSON

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