Foreign chambers welcome Beijing’s decision to offer 5-year travel permits to non-Chinese permanent residents of Hong Kong

Multiple-entry permit holders will also benefit from self-service clearance at checkpoints once they have completed procedures such as fingerprinting.

Permit holders can enter the continent for short-term reasons, such as investments, visiting relatives, tourism, business, seminars and exchanges. They can stay up to 90 days per visit, but are prohibited from working, studying or engaging in information gathering activities.

Currently, most non-Chinese permanent residents must apply for separate visas to visit mainland China.

They are also required to use manual lanes at entry points to the mainland, provide fingerprints and fill out entry cards each time.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said the business community “welcomes and appreciates” the government’s recognition of the importance of strengthening cross-border connectivity between Hong Kong and mainland China.

“This will not only make travel easier and more convenient for expatriates in Hong Kong who have business interests in the Greater Bay Area, but will also enhance Hong Kong’s strategic value as a gateway for businesses international companies to invest and learn more about the continent. ” said a spokesperson for the chamber.

Inaki Amate, president of the Hong Kong European Chamber of Commerce, said he saw the move as a response to the group’s demands for more cross-border convenience, adding that it was only the start of future measures to reposition Hong Kong as an international hub and gateway to the mainland.

Johannes Hack, president of the city’s German Chamber of Commerce, said it was a step in the right direction, but further improvements, such as expanding the scope of coverage, were needed.

“To attract new foreign business people to Hong Kong, the measure should also be extended to non-permanent residents, as these people could then be attracted by the idea of ​​’living in Hong Kong while working on the mainland but moving as if you were in Europe’,” Hack said.

Hack’s remarks were echoed by business tycoon Allan Zeman, who pointed to the longer time it took for foreign employees to clear customs and the additional paperwork, such as an official invitation letter, required to enter the continent.

“We need a lot of changes at this time. This is definitely a good move to maintain Hong Kong’s international status and advantage,” he said.

He also added that in the future, the authorities should consider including non-Chinese non-permanent residents of Hong Kong as part of the move to better integrate Hong Kong into the Greater Bay Area.

Under the new permit, eligible residents can apply to China Travel Service (Holdings) in Hong Kong and Macau. Permits will be issued within 20 business days if their application is accepted.

An application will cost 260 Hong Kong dollars (US$34), while those seeking to renew or replace their license on the mainland will have to pay 230 yuan (US$32), the administration said.

The central government said it decided to issue the permits to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China, and to help the two cities better integrate into overall national development.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the new policy, announced on the 27th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese rule, “demonstrates our country’s care and support” for Hong Kong.

Lee said many non-Chinese permanent residents had deep roots in Hong Kong, while those working in the city were particularly keen to seize historic opportunities linked to the country’s rapid development.

“We are confident that international talents from Hong Kong businesses will be able to benefit from the long-awaited ease of permission to travel north through this permit,” he said.

The absence of any limits on nationality or license occupation also “fully highlights Hong Kong’s unique status under the principle of “one country, two systems” and greatly helps the city maintain its international character. and its diversity, providing a significant incentive for companies and talents from around the world to set up shop,” Lee added.

The new travel permit is part of a series of more liberal visa measures granted by Beijing to Hong Kong since early 2023.

Others include launching and extending the Greater Bay Area’s exit approval for talents in Beijing and Shanghai, extending the length of stay of business visits to Hong Kong by seven days to 14 days and the introduction of multiple entry “northbound” visas for foreign employees working in Hong Kong. the city.

According to the 2021 population census, there are about 619,568 non-Chinese people living in Hong Kong, accounting for about 8.4% of the population.