HC Deb 22 November 1926 vol 200 cc45-6W
Sir H. BRITTAIN

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give consideration to the suggestion to approach the Governments of the three Scandinavian countries for the mutual elimination of the visa an passports carried by the nationals of these countries and ours?

Sir A. CHAMBERLAIN

Agreements for the mutual abolition of visas were entered into with the three Scandinavian Governments some years ago and became operative from the following dates:

  • Sweden, 11th August, 1923.
  • Norway, 15th October, 1923.
  • Denmark, 1st March, 1924.

Captain CAZALET

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether some arrangements can be made with the Yugo-Slavian Government for the reduction in the cost of visas to British subjects visiting their country; whether the cost is reciprocal to Yugo-Slavians visiting this country; and whether there are any reasons for the unusually high charge made?

Sir A. CHAMBERLAIN

The following charges are made to British subjects applying for Serb-Croat-Slovene visas:

Fr. gold.
For a visa available for any number of journeys for six months 10
For a visa available for a single return journey and for three months 5
For a single journey transit visa 1
For a return transit visa 2

As the Passport Conference held in Paris in 1920 recommended that the fee should be 10 francs gold for a visa valid for one year, representations were made to the Serb-Croat-Slovene Government upon the introduction of the Paris scale, with a view to persuading them to extend the period of validity to one year. But the Serb-Croat-Slovene Government were unable to agree, and the fee for a British visa granted to a Serb-Croat-Slovene national and valid for 12 months was therefore fixed at 20 gold francs, this being the exact equivalent of the cost of two Serb-Croat-Slovene visas each valid for six months. Transit visas valid for one year are granted to Serb-Croat-Slovene nationals at. a fee of one franc gold.

I will make further efforts to induce the Serb-Croat-Slovene government to adopt the scale recommended by the Paris Conference.