FO371-46256 — Page 153

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PASSPORT CONTROL DEPARTMENT

FROM WASHINGTON TO FOREIGN OFFICE

Earl of Halifax.. No 6841

13th October, 1945.

Repeated to Chungking.

D. 3.4 a.m. 14th October, 1945.

R. 9.43 a.m. 14th October, 1945.

Supreme Allied Command South East Asia, Hongkong.

a a a a

Your telegram No. 9833.

Joint Staff Mission here deny any knowledge of separate authority or instructions to issue military permits.

2. Present procedure is that persons other than United States citizens wishing to travel to military zones have to obtain United States exit permits and simultaneously apply for military permits, State Department refer latter for approval to United States Joint Chiefs of Staff who in turn seek the concurrence of Theatre Commander regardless of whether the latter is British or American.

3 While this procedure seems [3 grps undec? satisfactory for the present I understand] that in the near future United States military permits and presumably also exit permits will cease to be required by persons proceeding to China. It will then in theory be possible for a British subject to proceed from this country to, for instance, Hongkong without first obtaining official approval for his journey, since British Consular security endorsements do not appear obligatory, your views on this?

May I have

4. In the case of Americans, United States authorities are understood to seek the concurrence of Theatre Commander before issuing passport for journey, When traveller is proceeding to British territory local military authorities may therefore be presumed to have agreed to his admittance before passport is issued. In the circumstances may visas for Malaya and Hongkong be granted under the control of the Passport Control Officer without reference to holders of United States passports with appropriate military permits?

5,

When exit permits and United States military permits are abolished for persons proceeding to the China Theatre from this country, do you wish all non official applications for visas for Hongkong referred and if so to you or to what authority in Hongkong? Would it be possible to exempt any category of applicants from such reference e.g. well-sponsored business

men?

No.1.

Foreign Office please repeat to Hongkong as my telegram

[Copies sent to War Registry, Admiralty for repetition is Hongkong].

O.T.P.

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