New One-Way Permit rules will eliminate loopholes and speed up vetting, says lawmaker

The new regulations for mainland residents settling in Hong Kong through the One-Way Permit scheme will make vetting criteria more concrete and clearer while preventing past loopholes and potential abuse, lawmaker Kingsley Wong Kwok said on Thursday. 

His comments came after the National Immigration Administration recently announced new rules for the scheme, including setting the separation period for spousal reunion applications at a full three years. 

Speaking on a radio program, Wong said that the policy update narrows eligibility by eliminating several controversial categories that were previously prone to exploitation. 

For instance, mainland residents can no longer apply for the permit on the grounds of inheriting property in Hong Kong. He noted that existing travel visas already allow people to handle legal and estate matters without needing permanent residency.

In addition, the category allowing destitute elderly individuals or children, including adopted children, to join relatives in Hong Kong has been removed. Wong said it was often difficult to verify legitimate family or adoption status when processing these cases.

Exceptional provisions for non-marital children based on DNA paternity testing have also been removed, he added, to bring the system strictly in line with mainland regulatory frameworks.

For retained family categories, Wong said the new rules replace the old points-based system with uniform, rigid benchmarks across all provinces, ending inconsistent waiting times under the previous approach, which could take up to five years in high-demand areas like Guangdong but only about two in remote regions. 

Wong believed that the new policy could accelerate processing as long as quotas allow. 

Meanwhile, the category for children moving to care for their parents now enforces strict age boundaries. Applications are limited to those aged 18 to 59, while the Hong Kong-based parents must be at least 60 years old and have no other children living in the city. Wong said this is intended to target genuine care needs. 

Wong emphasized that the adjustments align with broader mainland administrative reforms aimed at reducing discretionary and subjective judgment. He said permits must now be granted to any applicant who meets clear, objective criteria, and that a transparent appeals mechanism will help ensure the system remains fair and open to public scrutiny.

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