Advertisement

World IN BRIEF : HONG KONG : Thousands Line Up for British Passports

Share via
From Times Wire Reports

Facing their last chance to apply for British passports, about 16,000 people lined up outside the immigration office, anxious to get British documents before Hong Kong reverts to Chinese rule. Britain’s 155-year government of Hong Kong doesn’t expire until June 30, 1997. But anticipating a rush, the British government set a deadline of midnight tonight for Hong Kong residents to get travel papers. Immigration officials called in extra workers to accommodate the crowd and planned to keep the office open late Saturday and today.

Advertisement