Originally Posted by
rkkwan
Happy - I'd think it should be pretty easy and simple to get your permanent HKID cards back. Just make an online appointment a few weeks before your planned return and then bring all the relevant documents to the office.
Having said that, a HKID card doesn't facilitate your visits to China, other than able to use e-channel to leave HK quickly. In order to get a Home Return Permit, you'll have to first apply for a HKSAR passport first. Just a HKID may not be suffice to apply for the HRP, at least when I checked for myself last time.
To apply for the HKSAR passport and subsequently the HRP is a declaration of being a Chinese citizen. Both of you should be eligible, since you were born in HK and China respectively. Whether that's what you want to do is a separate matter. Or you can just continue to apply for Chinese visas with your US passport. With your background, US$140 can get you a 2-year unlimited visa each time.
Thanks for the quick response. Do you have a link for the HK Immigration to request appointment? I also need to figure out what documents we need to bring - the original birth certificate, the retirement paper from the HK government, and what else? We actually have to pay HK tax each year. I just mailed the 2010/2011 tax return yesterday. May be the tax bills of all these years...
I assume there are forms to be filled out too. Hopefully those can be downloaded so we can complete them at home.
The annoyance of Chinese Visa is, we live in Florida which is under the jurisdiction of Houston, TX. AFAIK, China does not take mail-in application and one has either to show up in person or let a travel agency handle it. It is just so inconvenient. Oh, and we could not even do it in SFO or LAX - must be done in Houston!
Another possible benefit of the HK ID is the current one - the $6000 HKD per person from the HKG government - I suppose one has to have HK ID in order to claim that.
Though I seriously doubt that we would be able to get the HK ID in time for this!