I will aggressively push for visa-free access for Hongkongers, says top US envoy
Kurt Tong notes that moves to give Hong Kong people easier access to United States have been in Congress for several years, but to no avail
The US envoy in Hong Kong says he will aggressively push visa-free entry for Hong Kong residents visiting his country, but it is up to the US Congress to pass a bill which has been languishing in legislative limbo for three years.
Kurt Tong told the Post that one of his priorities was to encourage more people to travel to the United States, and he hoped Hongkongers would “branch out” to destinations beyond popular places such as New York and California.
He said that it was now “simple” to get a 10-year visa but recognised Hongkongers’ desire for visa-free travel. A new measure was announced on Tuesday to allow applicants to pay visa fees online.
“It’s not impossible that Congress would pass legislation that would allow us to not have the visa process for bearers of Hong Kong passports,” Tong said. “And if Congress were to pass that rule, then there would be no one more aggressive than myself and the consulate in trying to implement that possibility as quickly as possible.”
Neither Hong Kong nor the mainland is among the 38 countries or regions in the waiver programme that allows their nationals to visit the US for tourism or business for 90 days without having to obtain a visa. Taiwan is on the list.
An attempt to include Hong Kong in the programme failed in 2013 when an amendment, co-sponsored by a bipartisan group, was added by Senator Mazie Hirono to a massive immigration reform bill. The Democrat from Hawaii wanted to boost her constituency’s tourism. But the House of Representatives refused to take up the bill after it was passed in the Senate.
At the time, State Department officials indicated that whistle-blower Edward Snowden’s unimpeded departure from Hong Kong could have repercussions on Sino-US relations and the visa waiver amendment.
Hirono introduced the same amendment again in 2014, but nothing has happened after it was referred to the Senate’s judicial committee.
The number of non-immigrant visas issued to Hong Kong SAR passport holders has been on the rise. In 2016, a total of 68,834 such visas were approved, up from 61,288 in the previous year and 53,118 in 2014.
The refusal rate for business or tourist visa applications for Hong Kong SAR passport holders was 4.61 per cent last year.
In March, the US State Department ordered embassies and consulates to heighten security checks on visa applications, citing national security concerns and acting in line with the new administration’s promise of “extreme vetting”.