FO371-27622 — Page 135

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OR INAL VE T

REMADOS ERISH EMBASSY, SHANGHAI.

CIRCULAR TO CONSULS No. 9 (16/32F/1941) of 29th January 1941.

\

including Mukden and Harbin

Copies sent to:

Tokyo 37

Singapore 4

Dairen 3

Foreign Office No. 55✓

Hongkong

Passport Control Officer Shanghai.

sir,

F 3759

6 MAY 194T

!

121

qa

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As you are aware, the Hongkeng authorities on the 15th January brought into force an Ordinance No. 32 of 1940 modifying the regulations governing entry into the Colony. Copies of the Ordinance are being sent direct to you by the Hongkong Authorities.

2. I am advised that this Ordinance does not alter the position as regards the issue of visas on passports of aliens or endorsements on those of British women and children travelling to or through Hongkong. The innovation lies in the requirement that Chinese who previously did not require any travel documents must now possess a valid passport duly visaed or must have an Entry Permit, Frontier Pass or certificate of Residence in Hongkong. Such documents will be issued only by the authorities in Hongkong. Supplies of forms for applications for entry permits et cetera will be made available on application to all shipring companies and ta approved and reputable travel agencies together with instructions for their completion in so far as the forms are not self-explanatory. In case of a shortage at any time there is no objection to having copies printed privately and locally.

3.

A person arriving in Hongkong not in possession of a passport duly visaed or endorsed or of one of the above mentioned documents will, assuming that there is no positive objection to his entry (such as previous criminal record, political affiliations et cetera), be required to find security for his appearance at a later date at the Immigration Office there to take out the document appropriate to his status; such security may take the form of either a cash deposit by the immigrant himself or of a similar security in cash or otherwise by another person in Hongkong. The amount of this security will vary according to the case, to the apparent desira- bility of the Passenger's presence in the Colony and his apparent means. It would only exceptionally exceed one hundred Hongkong dollars for a first class passenger or 25 Hongkong dollars for a deck passenger. A passenger unable to find the required security would be confined in the Depot until his case could be dealt with; he would then either be allowed in, with or without a time limit, or sent out of the Colony.

A.

A resident in Hongkong may make application for permission for an absentee friend, relative or employee to enter the Colony, whether such person is temporarily absent from Hongkong or has never been there. Rather longer notice will be required for such cases though special measures may be taken to deal with expeptional

cases.

5*

At first at least shipping companies vill be required to re- move at their own cost only such persons as are obviously undesirable,

e.g. if they are suffering from loathsome diseases or are clearly professional beggars. Such cases will probably be confined to local traffic.

Under this ordinance the holder of a Chinese national pass- port is required to have either a valid visa or one of the special documents mentioned in paragraph 2 of this circular. He will

/not

6.

His Majesty's Censul.

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