VISA RÉGIME FOR HONG KONG SAR PASSPORT
HOLDERS
53. The HKSAR Government, which is responsible for
its own immigration policies and the issuing of the HKSAR passport,
has now issued around 550,000 passports. So far 47 countries have
granted visa-free access.[102]
By contrast, the British National (Overseas) passport currently
permits visa-free access to some 84 countries and territories.[103]
Among EU Member States, only the United Kingdom and Ireland grant
visa-free access whereas the Schengen countries have imposed a
common visa régime.
54. The Hong Kong Government continues to lobby for
visa-free access. The United Kingdom Government also lobbies key
countries to grant such access,[104]
but Mr Fatchett told us that these efforts "have not been
as universally successful as we would wish".[105]
We wish the Government to continue to support efforts to increase
visa-free access, particularly as regards Hong Kong's neighbours
and main trade partners and travel destinations. In particular,
we recommend that the Government continue to press strongly for
visa-free access throughout the European Union. We note in this
context that most Macanese either have, or have a right to, a
Portuguese passport. This provides free movement within the Schengen
area.[106]
102 Hong Kong SAR: The First 12 Months, p.29. Back
103
Ev. pp.26-27. Back
104
Ev. p.26. Back
105
Q77. Back
106
See Minutes of Evidence taken before the Foreign Affairs Committee
on 9 December 1997, HC 347, Ev. p.42. Back
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