[YPW]

I need help filling out the form ROP 143. I am trying to renew my HK permanent resident card issued before 1987.The HK Immd website states that ID cards issued before 1987 are void. I was HK born to parents from mainland China. I had lived in HK for more than 7 years before I immigrated to United States.

In box 14 of the ROP 143 form, http://www.immd.gov.hk/pdforms/ROP143.pdf, it asks about my nationality. As a HK born person who has been away from HK for more than 36 months, and a naturalized US citizen, does it make any difference if I write down in box 14 that I am a Chinese citizen or US citizen? If I write down I am a US citizen, will my ID card application be rejected? If a person writes down he is a foreign citizen, will HK Immd consider him making a declaration of change of citizenship and giving up his Chinese citizenship? If I write down I am a US citizen in box 14 of the form, am I still qualified to apply for the Home Return Permit?

[Aritaurus]

Originally Posted by YPW

I need help filling out the form ROP 143. I am trying to renew my HK permanent resident card issued before 1987.The HK Immd website states that ID cards issued before 1987 are void. I was HK born to parents from mainland China. I had lived in HK for more than 7 years before I immigrated to United States.

In box 14 of the ROP 143 form, http://www.immd.gov.hk/pdforms/ROP143.pdf, it asks about my nationality. As a HK born person who has been away from HK for more than 36 months, and a naturalized US citizen, does it make any difference if I write down in box 14 that I am a Chinese citizen or US citizen? If I write down I am a US citizen, will my ID card application be rejected? If a person writes down he is a foreign citizen, will HK Immd consider him making a declaration of change of citizenship and giving up his Chinese citizenship? If I write down I am a US citizen in box 14 of the form, am I still qualified to apply for the Home Return Permit?

I don't think you'll have any problems. My parents just got their smart IDs two months ago and they had Permanent Idenity cards from God knows when. They put "Chinese" under the nationality section and the immigration officer used their Canadian passports as identification. They know that they're naturalised Canadian citizens.

The 36 month rule only applies to non-Chinese citizens. If you were born in Hong Kong to parents of Chinese nationality, you have the Right of Abode for life having that you don't make a declaration to change your nationality. As long you never made a formal declaration that you're a US citizen, they still have you as Chinese on their records.

I was born and raised in Canada. When I made my application, I just put " Chinese " under nationality and a few weeks later, I received a letter saying that my Right of Abode cannot be established under those grounds because I was not a Chinese citizen upon birth based on the fact that I acquired Canadian citizenship when I was born. I still got approved for the Right to Land, allowing me to work and enter Hong Kong without any conditions of stay. I think if I was born in Hong Kong, I'll be approved for a Permanent Idenity Card without any problems. In your case, I'm pretty sure you're fine as long you bring your Hong Kong birth certificate.

When I applied, I was really doubting that I'll be approved since a lot of the information I wrote down wasn't consistent. I thought my application would be rejected for putting "Chinese" as nationality. It was still worth a shot.