TNAG-2951-FCO40-4228-Hong-Kong-visa-free-travel-for-British-Nationals-(Overseas)--1993 — Page 66

6. The UK and the Hong Kong Governments are approaching the

Schengen countries with a view to ensuring Hong Kong residents

holding BN (0) and HKBDTC passports will continue to enjoy the visa-free facilities presently offered, and to persuading Portugal, France and Germany to lift their requirements.

7.

The Acting Political Adviser, accompanied by officials from

Security Branch and Immigration Department, met the Consuls

General (or in some cases, their representatives) of the 9 signatory countries to the Schengen Convention in Hong Kong on

11 August to draw their attention to our concern at the prospect

of a CVL visa regime for Hong Kong and ask them to persuade

their governments not to impose such a visa regime on visitors

from Hong Kong. We urged them to pay particular attention to the following considerations:

BDTCS and BN (0)s are holders of British passports;

They have an excellent record of good behaviour and paying their way;

-

They are returnable to Hong Kong, where they have right of

abode. The Joint Declaration guarantees that this will continue

after 1997;

- there is no history of illegal immigration from Hong Kong to

Europe. People from Hong Kong are not an immigration problem. Hong Kong has tough and efficient immigration and internal

controls

-

including a compulsory ID card system which act as

a deterrent to would-be illegal immigrants. To prevent Hong Kong being used as a transit point by would-be illegal

immigrants and asylum seekers, Hong Kong also reinforces

controls on persons in direct transit who remain air-side, precisely to make illegal immigration through Hong Kong even

harder;

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