Foreign chambers welcome Beijing’s move to offer 5-year travel permits to non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents
- As many as 270,000 adult permanent residents are set to benefit from the new travel permits
Expatriates and foreign chambers in Hong Kong have welcomed Beijing’s move to offer five-year multi-entry travel permits to non-Chinese permanent residents, saying the measure will help reinforce the financial hub’s gateway role and international status.
They also said they hoped authorities would expand the permit’s scope to cover non-permanent residents holding foreign passports, to maximise the move’s effect on attracting global talent to Hong Kong. About 270,000 adult permanent residents are set to benefit from the new permit.
The calls were made after the National Immigration Administration announced on Monday that non-Chinese permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macau, regardless of their nationality and occupation, would be able to apply for the permits to enter mainland China starting on July 10.
Holders of the multi-entry permits will also enjoy self-service clearance at control points once they complete procedures such as having their fingerprints taken.
Permit holders can enter the mainland for short-term purposes, such as investment, visiting relatives, tourism, business, seminars and exchanges. They may stay up to 90 days per visit but are barred from working, studying or engaging in newsgathering activities.
Currently, most non-Chinese permanent residents need to apply for separate visas to visit the mainland.