20,000 APPLY FOR RIGHT OF ABODE

More than 20,000 mainlanders have applied for the right of abode, immigration figures show.

By the end of last month, 20,157 people had submitted applications for the certificate of entitlement they need to obtain first.

A total of 19,619 certificates were issued and 11,518 holders arrived in the SAR.

In a paper to legislators, the Security Bureau said the director of China's Bureau of Exit-Entry Administration would visit the SAR this year to discuss procedures for genetic tests for mainlanders claiming the right of abode.

The mainland authorities have received about 500 abode applications from people born out of wedlock who would be required to undergo a genetic test to verify their parentage.