British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 169

CHAPTER VII.

a passport or document but is, in his opinion, a suitable person for admission as a traveller into Palestine: or

(h) if he desires to enter Palestine as an immigrant, has not in his possession in addition to a valid passport or similar document as required by paragraph (g) hereof, an immigration certificate or permit granted by the Director in accordance with any rules made under this Ordinance:

Provided that in special cases the High Commissioner may grant permission to enter Palestine as an immigrant to any person who, either by reason of the fact that he is not recognized as a subject or citizen of any country or otherwise, is bona fide unable to obtain such a passport or document, but is, in his opinion, a suitable person for admission as an immigrant into Palestine; and

Provided also that immigration certificates shall not be required from the wives and unmarried children under the age of eighteen years, of persons, who, having been born in Palestine and being Ottoman nationals, have failed to acquire Palestinian citizenship; or

(i) is suffering from any disease which is declared by rules made under this Ordinance to be such as to disqualify him from entry into Palestine; or

(j) refuses to comply with the requirements of any rules made under this Ordinance in the interests of public health; or

(k) does not fulfil any other requirements which may be prescribed by rules made under this Ordinance."

8. His Majesty's passport control officers and consuls had received instructions from the Foreign Office which are based on the legislation, both Ordinance and rules. The legislation does not, of course, have force beyond Palestine but passport control officers and consuls grant visas and endorsements in virtue of these instructions and hence the purposes of the legislation are secured.

9. CATEGORY A(1) (£.1,000). These immigrants must not be disqualified within the meaning of section 5 of the Ordinance and must satisfy the immigration authority that they have at least £.1,000 in bona fide possession and at free disposal. Granted these conditions foreigners had before 1038 an absolute right to enter Palestine as immigrants in this category. There has been, and probably still is, much fraudulence in this form of immigration.

Some of these people enter Palestine as travellers and seek to be registered as immigrants in Category A() under rule 2(1)(b). Scrutiny is then required as to the origin of the qualifying capital. If the authority is satisfied that the capital is in bona fide possession and at the free disposal of the applicant he may be registered as an immigrant in Category A(i).

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