Non-Chinese residents, too, get present in home-return permits

Ayra Wang

Non-Chinese permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macau will be able to apply for a home-return permit to travel to the mainland starting next Wednesday.

This came as the Exit and Entry Administration announced yesterday that it would extend issuance of the mainland travel permit, generally known as the home-return permit, to non-Chinese permanent residents of the two SARs to enhance people-to-people exchanges.

"This is to further facilitate exchanges between mainland Chinese and people in Hong Kong and Macau, and help the two SARs better integrate into the overall national development," it said.

Eligibility is not limited to nationality or industry, it added.

Permit holders will be allowed to travel to the mainland multiple times during the five-year validity period and can stay for up to 90 days each time for purposes such as investment, visiting relatives, tourism, business, seminars and exchanges.

They are barred from working, studying and news coverage activities and will need to apply for additional visas if they want to pursue such activities.

Permit holders can also enjoy self-service clearance at control points once they have completed procedures such as fingerprint collection.

All foreigners currently have to undergo fingerprint collection and fill out forms and can only use the manual channels at mainland control points each time they visit the mainland.

Applications can be made through China Travel Service Hong Kong, with each application costing HK$260 and renewals or replacements of the permits in the mainland will cost 230 yuan (HK$247).

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said Hong Kong warmly welcomed the measure, which shows the central government's care and support for the city.

The measure, he said, will provide convenient cross-border clearances for people living in Hong Kong under the talent scheme.

"Foreign talents working in Hong Kong are particularly keen to better seize the opportunities of our country's rapid developments, especially envisioning greater involvement in the building of Greater Bay Area as a world-class bay area," he said.

Lee also said the measure shows Hong Kong's unique status under one country, two systems.

"This will also greatly help Hong Kong maintain its international character and diversity, thereby providing a significant incentive for companies and talent from around the world to settle in Hong Kong," he added.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Facebook the measure will provide a "strong selling point" for Hong Kong to attract people of talents, especially foreigners with high-end skills who aim to expand their business into the mainland market.

Legislative Council member Vincent Cheng Wing-shun expected the measure to attract more ethnic minority business groups to Hong Kong, such as Indian, Pakistani and Nepali merchants, to the mainland to seek business opportunities.