15 June 1993
By Fax: 051-255-1160
Mr CJ Kelly Home Office B4 Division LIVERPOOL
Foreign & Commonwealth
· Office
163
Nationality, Treaty & Claims Department
Clive House
Petty France
London SWIH 9HD
Telephone: 071–270–
4069
HKD 3401
REL
16 JUN 1993
BDTC/BNO PASSPORTS
1.
Thank you for the copy of your minute of 14 June to Mrs Barnes-Jones and for agreeing to revise paragraph D before it went to Hong Kong. I think this provides the easiest solution of all. Let us see what Hong Kong say.
on the other paragraphs are as follows:
A. Fees
Our comments
We think it only right that a fee should be charged for each passport issued. Work has to be done in each case and the second passport is for the convenience of the holder. The disincentive element will be a welcome bonus.
We agree that the fee should be standard no matter the length of validity. This applies equally to replacement BDTC passports required after June 1996. We have no mechanism under the Consular Fees Regulations or Orders for charging a reduced fee unless one is specified. I understand that it has in any case been standard practice previously to charge full fees for passports issued to bridge gaps until changes of sovereignty take place (usually the gaining of independence).
B.
Existing BNOS
We can see the argument put forward for providing gratis BDTC passports but the change of policy has been made for the convenience of Hong Kong people. We think a fee should be payable. There is no provision in the Consular Fees Regulations for a fee waiver in such circumstances.
C.
Post-dating
We are firmly opposed to post-dating for the reasons you set out. The Consulate General would eventually be in an
/impossible
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.