[robin7657]

Hi All,

My wife and I recently got our visas to Hong Kong. Mine is a work visa valid for 12 months. My wife's dependent visa, however, only lasts 6 months. Is this normal? Does that mean she has to renew every half a year?

Thanks.

[nivantj]

Usually her dependant visa should follow same pattern as yours. Check out her passport expiry date. Does it expire in a year or so?

[robin7657]

Originally Posted by nivantj

Usually her dependant visa should follow same pattern as yours. Check out her passport expiry date. Does it expire in a year or so?

Yes, so that explains it... That you very much!

[jp4u]

Have a Q. myself.
Have a HK ID and was my first year on a investment visa, now on a dependant visa. Have some more years to go to apply for the PR. But just to satisfy my curiousity. heard about the 3 star PR... what is the difference between PR and a 3* one?
Thanks in advance.

[berryplucker]

*** means are entitled to a HK re-entry permit.

HK re-entry permits are for:

* Chinese Citizens who have either acquired the right of abode or been granted unconditional stay in Hong Kong; and
* Persons not of Chinese nationality who have been granted unconditional stay in Hong Kong but cannot obtain national passports or travel documents of any other countries or regions.

[jp4u]

Originally Posted by berryplucker

*** means are entitled to a HK re-entry permit.

HK re-entry permits are for:

* Chinese Citizens who have either acquired the right of abode or been granted unconditional stay in Hong Kong; and
* Persons not of Chinese nationality who have been granted unconditional stay in Hong Kong but cannot obtain national passports or travel documents of any other countries or regions.

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Thanks Berry.
Still bit confused. Can you elaborate?
1]."Chinese citizens"? You mean citizens from the PRC or ethnic Chinese from other countries also?
2]. "non Chinese" like me. Having a European passport. Meaning I'm not able to get the right of abode, even if my wife is a ***PR? Does that mean I lose my PR if longer out of HK than 36 months? (No problem for me, as I'm only leaving HK for Biz or vacation trips. Just wanting to know).
Thanks again.
jp.

[berryplucker]

1) Chinese citizen means Citizen of the People's Republic of China (which includes HK Citizens)

2) As a citizen of somewhere other than China you may apply for "permanent" right of abode after 7 years continuous legal residence in HK. If it is granted but you subsequently stay out of HK for more than 36 months continuously your "right of abode" gets changed to a "right to land". However, for all practical purposes there is no difference between these. You would have to do something pretty heinous to lose "right to land".

The *** on the HKID is not a sign of the right of abode (that is indicated by an "A"); the *** indicates simply the entitlement to the re-entry permit, which is a travel document enabling the bearer to travel between mainland China and the HK & Macau SARs without a passport. In your case you would still need your European passport and a visa to enter the mainland. However, permanent residents of HK can be granted long duration (3-5 years I believe) visas.

For HK, in your case, married to a Permanent Resident, you would be granted a dependent visa enabling you to live, work & study here freely without further permissions. After 7 years of this status you can apply for Right of Abode in your own right, as described above.

You may, of course, also choose to apply for Chinese citizenship, but the laws of China would require you to renounce your other citizenship in that case.

(All the above is my understanding - experts like Emigra may correct me if I have misunderstood)

[Roger]

Any Permanent Resident can travel to Macau on their HK ID card and will be stamped in for 1 year. The Re-entry Permits are mainly used by children under 11.

[jp4u]

Thanks for all.
Was helpful for getting a better understanding.

BTW, just a statement I want to make.
I never looked for “profi-help” from companies that advertise they can get you faster through the paper-work jungle… while charging many bucks.

I had the last few years more than a few contacts with the HK immigration department regarding my stay here.
First application for an Investment Visa, while having entered before on a tourist one, later application for marriage, there after application for change of status for dependant visa. In addition, as I had to leave for a trip abroad while my new application was pending and the former limit of stay had expired, Immigration gave me an extension in only a few days time.
I honestly can say, for all to know, that they work very professional and to the point. Very gentle approach in the personal contacts, highly trained officers and they follow the cases up very closely in a no-nonsense way. They should think about setting up a training unit… for educating some European countries' Immigration departments!
They have truly impressed me. Hats off!
(I hope by posting this personal experience that it can help to increase the confidence of future applicants.)
jp