Select Committee on Foreign Affairs Third Report


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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