A SOCIAL services group has called on the Government to urgently clarify issues surrounding the court ruling allowing mainland-born children of Hong Kong parents to live here.
Ho Hei-wah, director of the immigrants' advocacy group the Society for Community Organisation, said his group had received a flood of queries since the ruling, and the Government needed to quickly clear up the confusion.
The ruling opened the door to tens of thousands of new mainland immigrants because it extended the right of abode to those born before one of their parents became a permanent resident and those born out of wedlock, such as children of Hong Kong men and their mainland mistresses.
There are about 320,000 mainland residents who are children of Hong Kong parents and can apply to come here.
Under the ruling, children who came to Hong Kong illegally before July 10 will automatically become legal residents.
Those who sneaked in after July 10 also qualify for permanent residency, but it was unclear whether they must first return to the mainland to apply for entry properly.