Shenzhen residents praise resumed multiple-entry Hong Kong visas

Visitors from Shenzhen have lauded the resumption of the multiple-entry Individual Visit Scheme (IVS), which now includes Shenzhen residence permit holders, for its convenience in facilitating easy visits to Hong Kong for shopping and seeing their idols.

The multiple-entry IVS for Shenzhen permanent residents resumed on Sunday (Dec 1). A new arrangement now allows multiple-entry access to holders of Shenzhen residence permits as well.

The visas permit unlimited trips to Hong Kong within a year, with each stay not exceeding seven days.

Non-permanent Shenzhen residents have welcomed this new arrangement, which enables them to visit Hong Kong more conveniently and freely without the need to apply for a visa in advance.

They plan to visit Hong Kong frequently for shopping, mainly to purchase luxury items such as watches and gold. They also hope that the duty-free allowance for luggage will be increased.

Some travelers anticipate visiting Hong Kong more frequently to enjoy shopping, savor the local cuisine, and see their idols more often as the visa rules have been eased.

However, certain Shenzhen residents mentioned that the previous “one-trip-per-week” arrangement was sufficient to meet their consumption needs in Hong Kong, and they are not attracted by the resumption of multiple-entry visas to visit the city.