90% of people mistakenly believe that if you apply for Hong Kong status, you must cancel your Mainland account! In fact, it is a big mistake to say that Hong Kong does not have an "account" at all. There are only two types of status: Hong Kong resident status and Hong Kong permanent resident status. Under the latest policy, how to obtain Hong Kong status, how to renew it, how to choose permanent residence and return home, and whether mainland accounts can be retained? Today, I made it clear once and for all, and I will never be misled again after reading it!
First things first: there is no "account" in Hong Kong, only these two identities
Customers often ask "How to apply for a Hong Kong account". First of all, it must be clear that there is no "account" in Hong Kong, only Hong Kong identity cards and Hong Kong permanent identity cards, which are issued by the Immigration Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government, are the core identity certificates of Hong Kong residents.According to the latest requirements of the Hong Kong Immigration Department, any person over the age of 11 or staying in Hong Kong for more than 180 days must register for a Hong Kong identity card after the age of 11 or within 30 days of arrival in Hong Kong.
1. Hong Kong Identity Card (Non Permanent Resident)
Issued to: Persons without the right of abode in Hong Kong are also the "first step" in applying for permanent residence.
Core rights: You can freely work, live and study in Hong Kong, and enjoy almost the same education and medical benefits as permanent residence - children born in Hong Kong can directly apply for Hong Kong identity cards, enjoy 15 years of free public education, enjoy low tax rates in Hong Kong, and enjoy the same public medical benefits.
2. Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card
Issued to: persons with the right of abode in Hong Kong, which is the "ultimate form" of Hong Kong identity.
Additional benefits: Compared to non-permanent residence, there are 3 more core benefits - the right to vote and the right to be elected, the right to be a civil servant in Hong Kong, and the right to apply for a HKSAR passport (the latest data, visa-free/visa-on-arrival 175 countries and regions, including Britain, Canada, France, Italy and other developed countries in Europe and the United States).
Key prerequisite: To apply for permanent residence, you must first obtain a Hong Kong identity card and meet the requirements of "normal residence for 7 years or more".
4 major application channels for Hong Kong status
Ordinary people take Hong Kong identity cards in four main ways: 3 types of talent program + 1 type of study abroad program, policy fine-tuning, the core requirements are as follows:
I. Hong Kong Talent Program
Core requirements: After meeting the basic qualifications, you can use either the "Comprehensive Scoring System" or the "Achievement Scoring System" to implement the 12-for-6 shortlisting rules.
Basic qualifications: 18 years of age or older, no criminal and undesirable immigration records, ability to cover the living expenses of myself and my dependents for the first year, bachelor's degree or above.
Comprehensive scoring system: 12 assessment items (including age, education, English proficiency, work experience, income, etc.), at least 6 answers "yes" can be shortlisted, the threshold is moderate, suitable for ordinary elites.
Achievement scorecard system: requires outstanding contributions in a certain field (such as film and television awards, Nobel Prizes, Olympic champions, etc.), which is extremely difficult, but you can get an 8-year visa at a time, without frequent renewals.
Core advantages: low application cost in the early stage, relaxed requirements for taxable income, flexible renewal, free to change employers, no need to bind Hong Kong companies.
II. Hong Kong Specialist Programme
Latest policy: The review is more stringent, the refusal rate is maintained at 15% -20%, and the core depends on the employer qualification and job match.
Core Requirements: Employed by local companies in Hong Kong in advance. Employer's Requirements: The company has been established for 1 year, its annual turnover is ≥ HK $3 million, employs at least 3 local employees and pays the MPF for 6 months. Documents such as bank runs and lease contracts must be provided for the past 6 months. The immigration department may conduct on-site inspections.
Key reminder: You can't change your employer at will, and you may lose your status if you are fired and don't find a new company guarantee in time; self-employment needs to provide a complete business plan to prove the feasibility of the company's operation.
Core strengths: Fast approval, approved in 3-6 months, suitable for people who want to quickly get an identity and have a clear plan to work/start a business in Hong Kong.
III. Hong Kong Talent Pass Program
Core requirements: There is no need to have a job in Hong Kong before applying. There are three categories of A/B/C, and there are enough places. Class C still maintains the annual quota of 10,000 people.
- Category A: Personal income ≥ HK $2.5 million in the 12 months prior to application, or company profits ≥ HK $2.5 million in the previous year of assessment (no qualification limit), 3-year visa granted for the first time
- Category B: Bachelor's degree in the top 100 universities in the world, or 23 designated universities in the Mainland, with more than 3 years of work experience, and the first 2-year visa
- Category C: Bachelor's degree, but less than 3 years of work experience, limit of 10,000 people per year, first grant of 2-year visa
Core strengths: With the fastest approval speed and complete documents, it can be approved in as soon as 3-4 weeks, which is the "best solution" for ordinary people to obtain identity.
IV. Hong Kong Study Abroad Programme
Core requirements: You can apply for a Hong Kong identity card by studying for a full-time undergraduate degree, master's degree or doctorate in Hong Kong. After graduation, you can work in Hong Kong on an IANG visa, and you can apply for permanent residence if you have been in Hong Kong for a total of 7 years.
Latest tuition fee: HK $140,000 - 880,000/year (the most expensive is City University of Hong Kong EMBA), some Diploma of Applied Education courses are eligible for 30% government tuition fee refund (covering up to 8 subjects).
Core strengths: low application threshold, no income requirements, no exams, Chinese-taught courses, easy graduation, suitable for those who cannot apply through the talent program.
Supplement: The Hong Kong Capital Investor Entry Program (Investment Immigration), which still implements the HK $30 million investment requirement (27 million financial assets + 3 million designated science and technology innovation funds), is required to hold permanent resident status in a third country.
Key to applying for permanent residence: 7 years "usual residence" is not 7 years of hard residence
Most people take Hong Kong status and eventually move to permanent residence after 7 years. Here, the focus is to clarify a misunderstanding: "usually live for 7 years" ≠ "must live in Hong Kong for 7 years".
According to the latest definition of Hong Kong Immigration Department: As long as you are legally, voluntarily, and residing in Hong Kong for the purpose of settlement (such as study, work, residence), even if you leave Hong Kong temporarily, you will still be considered as "normal residence", and 7 years will be calculated from the date of activation of your visa.
There are two other shortcuts to permanent residence:
- A child born in Hong Kong of a parent holding a Hong Kong identity card shall obtain Hong Kong permanent resident status directly (no need to wait 7 years).
- After obtaining resident status through the talent plan, renew it as required, and you can apply for permanent residence after 7 years. The process is simple and the pass rate is high.
The most critical question: Can I keep my Mainland account if I take Hong Kong for permanent residence?
The answer is: Yes! No change in policy, core watershed - whether or not to apply for a homecoming permit.
For example, if you have a Beijing account and apply for Hong Kong resident status (non-permanent residence), you do not need to cancel the Beijing account; if you apply for Hong Kong permanent residence after 7 years, the Hong Kong Immigration Department does not require the cancellation of the mainland account, you can still enjoy the benefits of both places in parallel.
There are only two cases where you need to cancel your Mainland residence registration:
- Apply for a one-way pass to settle in Hong Kong;
- Apply for a hometown return permit (only Hong Kong permanent residence can be applied for).
Who needs a certificate of return?
- Hong Kong permanent residence with Chinese nationality born in Hong Kong
- Mainland residents who are approved to settle in Hong Kong (apply for a one-way pass) and obtain Hong Kong resident status
- A Chinese resident born outside Hong Kong who has established permanent resident status in Hong Kong
- Foreigners/stateless persons permanently residing in Hong Kong who have been approved to join/regain Chinese nationality
- The return certificate is valid for less than 6 months, expires, is damaged, is lost, or the identity information is changed, the electronic chip is invalid, and it needs to be redeemed/reissued
What is the inconvenience of not doing a return card?
Returning home certificate is not mandatory, but doing it will affect 3 things, especially related to children's education:
- Inconvenient travel: Hong Kong residents do not have a home return permit. To return to the mainland, you need to swipe the Hong Kong/Macao pass. To leave the country, you need to transfer from Hong Kong/Macao or visa-free countries.
- Limited access to education for children: Unable to take the Overseas Chinese Students Joint Examination (need to live permanently + return home certificate, low scores can be applied for the mainland famous schools); Unable to use DSE results to apply for the mainland universities; Unable to enroll in the mainland purely foreign international schools
- Mainland purchase discount: In Beijing, Shanghai and other limited purchase cities, Hong Kong people can enjoy discounts on housing purchases, but some real estate agents will require a return certificate as proof
Need help? If you have any questions about Hong Kong identity planning, please feel free to contact us and HKESC will provide you with professional identity planning consulting services. Consult now