On the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China’s Exit and Entry Administration announced the introduction of new travel regulations for non-Chinese permanent residents in Hong Kong and Macao. Foreign permanent residents in Hong Kong will soon be able to obtain a travel permit in the form of a "card-type document" to facilitate their visit to the mainland for business, travel and family purposes. The card will be issued from July 10th, 2024.
According to the government, card holders will benefit from self-clearance at checkpoints and overall increased efficiency on the Chinese mainland.
Under the new measure, eligible persons can apply to China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited to obtain the Multiple Entry Travel Permit, which carries a five-year validity period, with a maximum stay of 90 days for each visit. A separate visa during this period will therefore generally no longer be required. However, under current law, foreign cardholders will still need to obtain a visa or residence permit if they intend to work, study or engage in news reporting activities in the mainland.
This latest policy follows the "Northbound" Multiple-Entry Visa, which allows foreign employees of Hong Kong-based companies to apply for priority processing of multiple-entry visas to China with a validity of up to two years or longer.
