My Home Return Permit experience...

[emmie]

1. Has anyone applied for 30 years Home Return Permit instead of 10 years validity ?
Is it the same fuss as with China visas, i.e. first apply for a 1 year visa then you are eligible for a 3 year visa ?

2. I have read here it takes 2 weeks, how fast is expedited service ?

3. What do you fill in under parent's address ( if abroad ) just the country and city or the full address ?

My replies/perspectives:

1. There's no such thing as a 30 years Home Return Permit (re validity).

Whoever mentioned it was mistaken. I've personally checked by asking when I first applied in HK. It's either a 3 years HRP for those under 18 years old (to be renewed every 3 years) OR, at the most, a 10 years one for those 18 or over.

2. The 'expedited' or 'express' service takes 5 working days (about a week if application submission is timed right; add an extra day for every public holiday during that period) and just costs HK$200 more. Usual service takes two weeks (if submission is timed right could be a bit sooner; again, add a day extra for every public holiday - especially just before BUSY festival holidays when you also have to anticipate queuing for hours!).

3. Opinion: Best to use relative's or friend's permanent address in HK - making sure it's written in Chinese characters. Also, on the form, put in the nationality box 'Chinese' and don't mention that you hold other 'foreign' passport(s) (they usually don't ask in the first place). Good luck.

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Re SushiLover's query - I agree with User's response: just use up-to-date HKID and expired HRP card to renew HRP.

Can be as quick as a week if you pay an extra HK$200, as long as you (or along with a relative/friend) have filled in the form with info they ask for (at the counter), with the bits in Chinese language as required.

BTW, it doesn't matter how many years your HRP has expired by (so far as I know re adult permits, but I'm unsure about 'under 18s', never asked). The CTS 'entry permit' counter staff told us that once you've signed up for an HRP, it's 'for life' and they won't issue you with a China Visa (even via one's consulate, OR at least they shouldn't) because on their records you're already officially a 'Chinese National', (UNLESS you have formally 'renounced'...). So it seems that if you've acquired an HRP before their prerequisites/rules changed (circa 2005) to include your first holding an HKSAR passport, when you come to renew your HRP they should issue you a new HRP card without probs - no matter if you're a true 'Chinese National' or not, under HKSAR ImmD definitions (?).

[Morrison]

Thanks so much !

as to my items
1. you are right, the first box is 10 years and the second box is 3 years ( I was assuming it is 30 years, reading too fast.....)

2. I think when you apply for a HRTP you do not queue up with the visa applicants, if that's what you meant

3. I mean the box with "main relatives" where they ask for mom & dad's address.
If that's abroad do they still wand the full address and particulars ?

[SushiLover]

Yes, via email i found regular svs to be "10 working days" so technically 14 days (2 wks) so i decided to pay the extra $200 HKD for a 5 working day. It's still too long. If i go on Thurs. would it be ready by Wed? I dont' know if they count the day of submission and the day of pick up?i'm hoping so. I sort of panicked a couple days ago..and was gonna get a china visa in the States. it's kinda money vs time. $180 USd plus expediting. But it's kinda late for that even for expedite svs so I'm thinking maybe just hope all goes well and just wait.

Also not sure what I'd do in HK for 7 -8 calendar days by myself. Kinda boring. I thinki could only do the shopping for 1-2 days. Kinda off the topic but does anyone have any ideas on some non-touristy things to do? How many days could one hang out in some of the islands, ie Lamma and Lantau. Could i base myself in Yuen Long and still go to these islands as a day-trip (like leave early and get home pretty late). My intl air this time doenst' include lodging and the travel agent told me this yr has been super expensive and busy for HK due to the govt distributing the $6k. BTW, if my brother gets his HKPID this time, will he qual for the distribution? He was 7 when he left HK. I don't think I qual b/c i left b4 the age of 6. Can someone confirm this?

This site is great...thanks for sharing info, guys.

[SushiLover]

Really? Heck they do that all the time. I think they're too busy counting and looking at the wads of cash to really care!

[User]

Re: HK$6K. Both you and your brother will be qualified. This will cover your air fare from the US.

BTW, if my brother gets his HKPID this time, will he qual for the distribution? He was 7 when he left HK. I don't think I qual b/c i left b4 the age of 6. Can someone confirm this?

[User]

As for me, a Chinese national, entering China on a travel document showing my Chinese nationality shows my respect to China's sovereignty.

who gives a frog ?
it's good they do that as a visa is faster than HKSAR passaporte ( 10 days ) + HRTP ( 14 days )

[SushiLover]

@User, can you tell me a link where I can find out abt the $6k distribution so we know what the pre-reqs are, an English version as we dont read/write chinese. Even though I left HK before age 7 I still qualify? So one of the qualifications is to be HK-born as a criteria? Ok, yes, any literature u could direct me asap would work as I'll be in town in a couple of days and prob won't have access to a computer. Would like to do all the research and gather all required docs b4 leaving. Likewise for my brother. If it takes too many trips to come, I'm not sure I want to deal with it. not worth it unless you happen to be around for vacation.

[Drunken Master]

the criteria for 6k is a permanent HKID

"Scheme $6,000" - What's New

[PDLM]

"Scheme $6,000" - Home

(Surely you could have found that in a few seconds on Google?)

Edit: Drunken Master found it in a few seconds fewer!

[SushiLover]

@PDLM-thanks, y'all are the pros, k? I'm too frazzled racing against time to get ready to take off plus tried to look it up few weeks ago...i did try to look it up ....but we don't use Brit English....thanks...y'all are dolls....so glad i stumbled upon to this website...