Hong Kong permanent residents with foreign passports will be able to apply for a new five-year multi-entry travel permit to enter mainland China starting on Wednesday.
Permit holders may stay on the mainland for up to 90 days per visit for short-term purposes, such as investment, visiting relatives, tourism, business, seminars and exchange, according to the National Immigration Administration’s announcement on July 1. Currently, most non-Chinese nationals with permanent residency need to apply for separate visas to visit the mainland.
The Post unpacks what you need to know about permit application procedures.
1. What you should know before applying
The document proves applicants’ Hong Kong permanent residency status and nationality information and is valid for six months before the application.
Non-Chinese nationals under the age of 11 who have not applied for a permanent identity card are required to obtain the notice, which will be made available within 10 working days upon receipt of a request, according to the city’s Code on Access to Information.
A source familiar with the matter has said applicants need to present the document issued by the Immigration Department when they process their application in person at CTS service centres.
2. Which CTS centres will process applications?
Applicants may submit in-person applications at the service centres in Central, Kowloon Bay, Kwai Chung, Sha Tin, Tuen Mun and Mong Kok. Opening hours are 9am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday.
Applicants must book an appointment in advance on CTS website and submit their personal information online.
These online bookings have been available since the Hong Kong government announced the new visa on July 1.
The source said applicants could fill in the application form and make an appointment through the CTS website while waiting for their Notice of Application for Access to Information.
However, if they do not receive the notice by their appointment date, they would need to reschedule their booking, the source said.
3. What are the other required documents?
They are also required to have a Hong Kong permanent identity card, a passport valid for at least six months, as well as nationality certificates.
Applicants under 18 must be accompanied by their legal guardian with identity documents and papers that prove their relationship.
They will receive an email notification upon the preliminary verification of the submitted data and then be asked to select a specific CTS service centre and appointment time.
The information provided by the applicant online will be printed and verified during on-site processing, and the signed confirmation will serve as the official application form.
4. Required information
Applicants will need to submit their full name, date and place of birth, nationality, occupation, Hong Kong or Macau telephone number and relevant residential documents issued by authorities.
They will also need to provide details about their passports and any visas issued by mainland authorities.
The application form on the CTS website will also ask for emergency contacts from Hong Kong, Macau or the mainland.
5. How long will it take for permits to be approved?
CTS Hong Kong chairman Perry Yiu Pak-leung said the permit would be issued within 20 working days after the application was accepted.
He added the entire application procedures were similar to the current process of applying for a return-home permit online, but without a “fast pass” arrangement.
The first application will cost HK$260 (US$33), with renewals or replacements on the mainland costing 230 yuan (US$32).
6. What are the photo requirements?
Applicants must provide a photo that is a full-face coloured picture with white background, without a hat or glasses. The photo must be taken over the past six months.
Applicants may use the instant photo service provided in the lobbies of the CTS service centres. The photo will be immediately transmitted to an inspection system for approval.
Digital photos that pass the requirement will be directly uploaded to the processing unit and printed as physical copies. Applicants can then proceed with the application process by presenting the qualified bar code from the printed photo.
Photos taken elsewhere will need to passed by the inspection system before the application may proceed.
