TNAG-2630-FCO40-3821-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-National-(Overseas)-1992 — Page 61

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Hong Kong. There would also be some resource costs to us.

6. Nor do we accept that our eventual EFC obligations make inevitable the introduction of universal entry clearance, Long

stay visas are national visas under the Convention and

WHMS will either be in possession of the appropriate visa or

have their passports stamped with the necessary endorsement on

arrival. Both will serve for the purposes of other EC border

guards.

7.

On the other changes, we fear that they would undermine

the attractiveness of the scheme for Australians to a degree

that would seriously damage relations with that country, which

are already delicate for a number of unrelated reasons, and

which might also give rise to Parliamentary criticism in this

country. As you probably know, a number of British and Australian Ministers, not to mention other prominent people, spent time in the other country as young WHMS. However, we believe that the combined introduction of no switching and the

departure requirement (para 8 iv)) should enable us to exclude

most if not all of the problem applicants. For visa nationals

ECOS would no doubt need some guidance on how to satisfy themselves that the would-be WHM was not likely to overstay,

become a charge on public funds etc (and perhaps IOs for non-visa nationals too?) For the latter we would in any case

probably need to produce a leaflet locally to reduce the risk

of significant numbers being turned away at the ports (which would include reminding them of the facility for obtaining prior entry clearance voluntarily as a number of Australians

etc. already do).

8.

As for extending the Scheme outside the Commonwealth, I

understood that you will be inviting your Ministers to

conclude that it would be very difficult to exclude particular non-Commonwealth countries without appearing unacceptably

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