Non-Chinese permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macau will be able to apply for a five-year travel permit to enter mainland China from July 10, Beijing said, with local authorities saying the move could motivate foreign businesses and talent to settle in the city.
Multiple-entry permit holders will also benefit from self-service clearance at checkpoints once they complete procedures such as fingerprinting, the National Immigration Administration said Monday .
Permit holders can enter the continent for short-term reasons, such as investments, visiting relatives, tourism, business, seminars and exchanges. They can stay up to 90 days per visit, but are prohibited from working, studying or engaging in information gathering activities.
Eligible residents, without any restrictions on nationality or occupation, can apply through China Travel Service (Holdings) in Hong Kong and Macau. Permits will be issued within 20 business days if their applications are accepted.
An application will cost HK$260 (US$34), while people seeking to renew or replace a license on the mainland will have to pay 230 yuan (US$32), the administration said.
The central government said it decided to issue the permits to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between Hong Kong, Macao and the mainland, and to help the two cities better integrate into overall national development.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the new policy, announced on the 27th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese rule, “demonstrated our country’s care and support” for Hong Kong.
Lee said many non-Chinese permanent residents had deep roots in Hong Kong, while those working in the city were particularly keen to seize the historic opportunities of the country’s rapid development.
“We are confident that international talents from Hong Kong businesses will be able to benefit from the long-awaited ease of permission to travel north through this permit,” he said.
The absence of any limit on nationality or license occupation also fully highlights Hong Kong’s unique status under “one country, two systems” and greatly helps Hong Kong maintain its international character and diversity, thereby providing a significant incentive for businesses and talents from around the world to set up shop in Hong Kong,” added Lee.
The new travel permit is part of a series of more liberal visa measures Beijing has granted to Hong Kong since early 2023.
Others include launching and extending the Greater Bay Area’s exit approval for talents in Beijing and Shanghai, extending the length of stay of business visits to Hong Kong by seven days to 14 days and the introduction of multiple entry “northbound” visas for foreign employees working in Hong Kong. the city.
According to the 2021 population census, there are about 619,568 non-Chinese residing in Hong Kong, accounting for about 8.4% of the population.
