53. Despatch 2 from Geneva1
No. 2
Geneva, August 9,
1955
REF
- Geneva Telegram 315, August 4, 1955
SUBJECT
- Transmitting Text of Ambassador Johnson’s Statement to Ambassador Wang on United States Immigration
Procedures
[Facsimile Page 1]
With reference to my telegram No. 315 of August 4, 1955, I am enclosing
the full text of my remarks to Ambassador Wang Ping-nan on the subject of United States
Immigration procedure. These remarks were summarized only very briefly
in the reference telegram to reduce its length.
U. Alexis
Johnson
American Ambassador
[Typeset Page 58]
[Facsimile Page 2]
Enclosure
Johnson Remarks2
“I then referred to Wang’s
second and third proposals and handed him list of 76 Chinese
students. I told him his reference to ‘exit permit’ in connection
with 76 students was inaccurate since no exit permit required of
aliens desiring depart United States. Any alien, including any
Chinese national, did not need to apply for permission to leave
country but simply made travel arrangements and departed. That is
why United States Government had to issue restraining orders in
cases those few aliens whose departure we desired prevent. Such
orders issued against certain Chinese students in past. On April 8
our Consul General informed Chinese representative that 76 students
formerly prevented from departing United States free to leave. These
students all notified that orders preventing their departure
rescinded. They not issued exit permits because there is no such
permit. Vast majority Chinese students never subjected to preventive
departure orders and always free to depart whenever wished. The few
preventive departure orders previously issued all rescinded. I then
repeated that, as I informed him last meeting, United States
Government not now preventing departure any Chinese wishing return
to mainland China.
I said, on other hand, no general deadline imposed for departure
Chinese from United States. I did not know where Wang obtained information that
Chinese students must depart by September 6 or apply for permanent
residence but said I was satisfied this information inaccurate. I
explained many Chinese who came to United States as students have
completed studies and no longer students. Thus they no longer
entitled student visas and in accordance with standard procedures
applied all aliens such persons informed by Immigration their visas
no longer valid, and they should arrange depart United States by
certain date. However each case handled individually and each
individual permitted give reasons why departure date should be
postponed. Many postponements granted for one or more months or
indefinitely at request of individual. Postponements have been and
will be granted in order avoid hardships or for other good cause. I
also pointed out that even though alien had applied for or been
granted status of permanent resident he still free leave country at
any time, and I concluded reiterating no exit permit required.”
