HKID Born outside Hong Kong

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    HKID Born outside Hong Kong

    I'm planning on coming back to Hong Kong to work following my studies overseas, but here's my situation, I was born overseas to parents born in Hong Kong, and so I don't have a Hong Kong birth certificate. What I do have though, is a youth ID Card from way back that isn't accepted anymore with the introduction of the smart ID Card and I didn't get my ID card exchanged during the call back in 2003.

    So here's my question, what do I need to get my Adult Smart ID Card? If I show up with my Canadian passport, it'll have a "visitors" stamp stamped on it. Please help me out.

    Cheers


  2. #2

    Forum member Hairball has written a nice webpage guide for CBCs of Hong Kong parents. I hope he won't mind me postingthe link:

    http://www.geocities.com/icehairball/

    I should think that you are probably entitled to RTL status at least if not ROA. Especially if you previously had a youth ID, which you would have been entitled to on the basis of Hong Kong BDTC status by descent, pre-97.

    As always, you can enquire of them by email in the first instance, and then apply for a new ID card at Immigration Tower Wanchai, bringing with you all supporting documentation.


  3. #3

    Join Date
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    Of course it's fine, that's why I wrote it :P

    If you have an ID card before, what is the status on it? Did you have right of abode? If that was ROA, then you'd at least have RTL now, depending on what your parents' immigration status in Canada when you were born.


  4. #4

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    Hi Hairball,

    My youth ID is a ROA one. It's got *AMOY, and it says Hong Kong Permanent ID Card. My parents were HK citizens at the time of my birth and hadn't immigrated to Canada yet.

    So when I go to the ImmD, they'll probably ask for my passport as well, but it will have a "visitors" stamp on it, am I going to have to explain it them that I'm moving back permanently and so I'm not really a visitor. Or what should I say?


  5. #5

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    Yes then you had right of abode before 1997. Whether you still do after 1997 will depend on a number of factors, but you'd still have at least RTL.

    I'm assuming you are not in Hong Kong right now, next time you go to Hong Kong, present your old ID with your passport, see if they let you in based on that status. If they do, then go book a Smart ID appointment, so you can get a current ID card.

    If not, they may require you to re-apply using ROP145, which is a not-so-fun process.


  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by teddyc:
    My parents were HK citizens at the time of my birth and hadn't immigrated to Canada yet.
    I'll assume your parents are indeed Chinese citizens (which is usually the case).

    Since you were born in Canada, at the time, were they permanent residents or citizens of Canada? If the answer is no, then you also would be a Chinese citizen, and you would have ROA regardless how long you are away from HK.

    If yes (they were Canadian PR or Canadian citizens), then you would've lost ROA if you have been away from Hong Kong for 36 consecutive months since the handover in 1997.

  7. #7

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    Aug 2009
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    My parents were visitors in Canada when I was born (you can say my birth was rather untimely).

    Are you suggesting that when I get to Immigrations at the airport in HK that I present my old Youth ID card and my passport for entry? Wouldn't Immigrations confiscate my old Youth ID card and give me some ticket for having an old youth ID card and for not renewing it when I turned 18? I'm way past 18 now by the way.

    Kindly advise.


  8. #8

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    Yes in that case you should have permanent ROA then, as you would be a Chinese citizen.

    There is no penalty for not renewing your ID card if you have reasonable excuse, and not living in HK is a reasonable excuse. I don't know if they confiscate it, but they should be able to verify your right of abode status if you have held an ID card. Whether they do or don't is not of a great concern.


  9. #9

    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by teddyc:
    My parents were visitors in Canada when I was born (you can say my birth was rather untimely).

    Are you suggesting that when I get to Immigrations at the airport in HK that I present my old Youth ID card and my passport for entry? Wouldn't Immigrations confiscate my old Youth ID card and give me some ticket for having an old youth ID card and for not renewing it when I turned 18? I'm way past 18 now by the way.

    Kindly advise.

    If you have a Canadian passport, just enter as a tourist as quite frankly that seems to be your only valid travel document. If not, get one. Why make it complicated.

    The airline won't let you on the plane unless you show valid documents which sounds like it is your Canadian passport not some outdated youth card from HK. You can't expect HK Immigration to solve the issues at the HK airport and this then gives you 90 days as a tourist to do what you need to do to get your HK situation rectified.
    Last edited by Football16; 09-08-2009 at 12:51 PM.

  10. #10

    Your Youth ID is invalid now, so there's no point trying to use it to enter HK. Invalid means exactly that.

    If you enter on your Canadian passport, and then get your ROA (or RTL) status confirmed with a new ID card, then I believe they will cancel or amend the 'visitor' stamp in your passport to reflect your 'true' status.


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