[ccnok]

Hi,

I'm a Canadian citizen who was born in HK and possess the 5-star HKID. I plan to to go HK soon to find work but have some questions about travel.

I suppose that I should enter HK with my HK ID this time to be eligible to stay and work without restriction, however, for personal reason I need to travel to both PRC and Japan (in one go) a month after my arrival. Taken into account that I wish not to apply for the HKSAR passport and renounce my Canadian citizenship, which should be a better method:

1) Leave HK with HKID and enter PRC with Canadian passport (with visa of course). Leave PRC and arrive Japan with Canadian passport and come back to HK with HKID
2) Leave HK with HKID and enter PRC with Return Home pass (or something like that) then go to Japan with Canadian passport and come back to HK with HKID. My question about this option is if I'm allowed to leave China if I entered it with Return Home pass.
3) Leave HK with HKID and go to Japan first instead with my Canadian passport then enter China with Candian passport. Come back to HK with HKID.

I wish to travel to China with my Canadian passport as it seems "safer"; in case I get into trouble I can always to go to a Canadian consulate. But then I heard that you might be asked to "choose" to renounce either your HK citizenship or your foreign citizenship if they know that you have a foreign one, and I don't want to risk that.

Any advice? Thanks!

[carang]

HKID does not = citizenship...it is residency...

i have a Canadian passport, a British passport AND HKperm ID.

all i do is... enter/leave HK using HKID.
enter/leave canada (or any other country i travel to) using canadian passport ...or UK passport dependng on wher i'm going and cost of visas/restrictions.

there's no such thing as a 5 star hkid, only 3 star...

good luck... it's very easy and not complicated at all.

[Aritaurus]

You're worrying too much. I went to Hong Kong, Shen Zhen and Tokyo in the same few weeks a month and a half ago without any problems. I'm a Canadian citizen that holds a Hong Kong Idenity Card free from any limit of stay. Any of your three options seem fine. I wouldn't recommend getting the Home Return Permit because the Canadian governement won't be able to offer you consular services if you get into any trouble. Using your Hong Kong Permanent Idenity Card will just let you get through immigrations without filling out any departure cards or having anything stamped on your passport.

When you get to Japan from any port of departure, you'll be given 90 days since you hold a Canadian passport. Have fun !

[EUChinese]

Originally Posted by ccnok

Hi,

I'm a Canadian citizen who was born in HK and possess the 5-star HKID. I plan to to go HK soon to find work but have some questions about travel.

I suppose that I should enter HK with my HK ID this time to be eligible to stay and work without restriction, however, for personal reason I need to travel to both PRC and Japan (in one go) a month after my arrival. Taken into account that I wish not to apply for the HKSAR passport and renounce my Canadian citizenship, which should be a better method:

1) Leave HK with HKID and enter PRC with Canadian passport (with visa of course). Leave PRC and arrive Japan with Canadian passport and come back to HK with HKID
2) Leave HK with HKID and enter PRC with Return Home pass (or something like that) then go to Japan with Canadian passport and come back to HK with HKID. My question about this option is if I'm allowed to leave China if I entered it with Return Home pass.
3) Leave HK with HKID and go to Japan first instead with my Canadian passport then enter China with Candian passport. Come back to HK with HKID.

I wish to travel to China with my Canadian passport as it seems "safer"; in case I get into trouble I can always to go to a Canadian consulate. But then I heard that you might be asked to "choose" to renounce either your HK citizenship or your foreign citizenship if they know that you have a foreign one, and I don't want to risk that.

Any advice? Thanks!

firstly, why do you think of the worst ? why you think you might get into trouble in China ? secondly, do you really think canadian consulate would step in and solve u out if you got in trouble ? well. Read through your canadian immigration laws - If r r still a HK citizen you will still have to follow the local restrictions. Your canadian passport can't protect you.

Yes, I think all your options look fine. My personal experience I have always used your second option, less hassle, no visa required.

[carang]

the point is.. there is a difference between being a HK citizen and being a HK permanent resident.

i AM a HK perm resi. I am NOT a hk citizen. The hk perm id card DOES NOT make you a citizen of HK.

i AM a canadian citizen (and a uk citizen for that matter) so therefore if something happens i will get help from those respective consulates.
(when he says "trouble", he may just mean losing his wallet or his travel documents, it doesn't mean that he's planning on killing someone!)

[lybenben]

hi
just don't confuse citizenship with residency.
Basically, HKID cards only identify a person's reidential status in HK. Citizenship is a different matter: it is the relationship between a person and his/her SOVEREIGN NATION STATE.

Since HK is NOT a sovereign nation state, one cannot acquire any sort of "HK citizenship" or "HK nationality". All you may obtain is the right of residency (or at most the RIGHT OF ABODE) in HK.

** If you wish to get a HK passport, in addition to being a HK permanent resident, you'll also need to be a Chinese citizen.

[EUChinese]

Originally Posted by lybenben

hi
just don't confuse citizenship with residency.
Basically, HKID cards only identify a person's reidential status in HK. Citizenship is a different matter: it is the relationship between a person and his/her SOVEREIGN NATION STATE.

Since HK is NOT a sovereign nation state, one cannot acquire any sort of "HK citizenship" or "HK nationality". All you may obtain is the right of residency (or at most the RIGHT OF ABODE) in HK.

** If you wish to get a HK passport, in addition to being a HK permanent resident, you'll also need to be a Chinese citizen.

I live in Europe permanently but I do hold a HKSAR passport as well as a European passport. then am I a HK citizen or European citizen ?

[carang]

if you have a hk passport, technically you should have given up your eu passport as china does not recognise dual citizenship. i understand that many people follow the "what they don't know won't hurt them" rule with regards to telling china/hk that you have other citizenships. however, if you were to get caught in china and you are a hk citizen/chinese citizen then your eu passport would offer you very little protection. it would only be viewed as a travel document, nothing more.

[Aritaurus]

Originally Posted by EUChinese

I live in Europe permanently but I do hold a HKSAR passport as well as a European passport. then am I a HK citizen or European citizen ?

You're a citizen of both countries - de-facto dual citzenship.

[lybenben]

Hi
1) HKSAR passport holders are citizens of CHINA. There is only ONE CHINESE nationality (or one category of Chinese nationality). The HKSAR passport is a type of Chinese passport, which is specially issued to HK permanent residents who are Chinese citizens.

2) Again, there is no such status as "HK citizen". HK is not a sovereign state.

3) As explained, China does not recognise dual nationality. But with respect to HK Chinese citizens, any foreign passport held by these citizens would only be regarded as travel documents (not nationality documents; and that their foreign "nationality" would be regarded as simply the right of abode in the foreign country). As a result, a HK Chinese citizen may hold more than 2 nationalities de-facto (one being Chinese). IN your case (holding HKSAR passport and a EU passport)- it appears that you hold Chinese nationality under Chinese law, as well as EU nationality/citizenship under EU/your EU country's law.