Return Home Pass - work

Closed Thread
  1. #1

    Return Home Pass - work

    Hi,

    Like a lot of people who post on this site I have

    - an EU passport
    - an HK ID card and
    - a Mainland Return Home Card

    I know that this means I can go in and out of mainland China without a visa either for tourism or on business trips. There are lots of threads about whether or not it can be used to travel into the PRC from anywhere (definitely can, do it lots myself) but to what extent can it be used for work?

    (That ultra reliable source) Wikipedia says:

    Holders of the Home Return Permit are able to freely enter Mainland China for tourism or business purposes (except purposes of employment) within the validity of their travel document.

    Does anyone have any experience as to how much that gets stretched? If were t be employed as a consultant for example, would I first have to register a business outside of the PRC to classify as being on a business trip? If I were to be employed by a Mainland firm even for weekend work would I technically be required to get a Z Visa?

    Any light shed, really, really appreciated!


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    6,745

    As you are regarded and treated as Chinese national you do not need any kind of visa in China. If you want to work as employee in China other than HK you need to apply for a work permit at the local bureau of labour.


  3. #3

    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    4,821

    Legally you'd need to be an employee of someone, so either the Chinese entity (which would require visas etc) or a HK entity. I guess you should register as a Sole Proprietor business in HK. And then look into where you would be paying taxes, MPF, etc...


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    11,711
    Quote Originally Posted by Girl Friday:
    Hi,

    Like a lot of people who post on this site I have

    - an EU passport
    - an HK ID card and
    - a Mainland Return Home Card

    I know that this means I can go in and out of mainland China without a visa either for tourism or on business trips. There are lots of threads about whether or not it can be used to travel into the PRC from anywhere (definitely can, do it lots myself) but to what extent can it be used for work?

    (That ultra reliable source) Wikipedia says:

    Holders of the Home Return Permit are able to freely enter Mainland China for tourism or business purposes (except purposes of employment) within the validity of their travel document.

    Does anyone have any experience as to how much that gets stretched? If were t be employed as a consultant for example, would I first have to register a business outside of the PRC to classify as being on a business trip? If I were to be employed by a Mainland firm even for weekend work would I technically be required to get a Z Visa?

    Any light shed, really, really appreciated!
    plenty of home return permit and hk id holders work in china without a working visa, i know that for a fact unless you are not ethnically chinese, then than different kettle of fish

  5. #5

    Thanks for these speedy responses!

    Imparanoic,

    "unless you are not ethnically chinese, then than different kettle of fish"...

    What sort of fish are we talking? I'm one of those Chinese-Eurasians who really doesn't look Chinese at all so always has to have that conversation whenever I use my ID. In effect it makes me treated like a lao wei in China which can be good but can (like maybe now) be bad. I never get to fly under the radar put it that way.

    It's good to know that other permit holders out there in the PRC feel the odds are sufficiently good to work on their permit (I guess in lieu of an F visa rather than a Z visa?) I might be more visible than most though...

    Gruntfuttock (fantastic username my dear!),

    Thank-you. I will be looking into a sole proprietor company, it might be the cheaper and cleverer option both tax and visa-wise. Although more responsibility!

    GF


  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    11,711
    Quote Originally Posted by Girl Friday:
    Thanks for these speedy responses!

    Imparanoic,

    "unless you are not ethnically chinese, then than different kettle of fish"...

    What sort of fish are we talking? I'm one of those Chinese-Eurasians who really doesn't look Chinese at all so always has to have that conversation whenever I use my ID. In effect it makes me treated like a lao wei in China which can be good but can (like maybe now) be bad. I never get to fly under the radar put it that way.

    It's good to know that other permit holders out there in the PRC feel the odds are sufficiently good to work on their permit (I guess in lieu of an F visa rather than a Z visa?) I might be more visible than most though...


    in this field compared to HK, if not you may have to get a visa
    Gruntfuttock (fantastic username my dear!),

    Thank-you. I will be looking into a sole proprietor company, it might be the cheaper and cleverer option both tax and visa-wise. Although more responsibility!

    GF

    i am not sure if a half chinese/westerner will be treated differently, unless you can't speak cantonese or mardarin, try without a working visa (should not be any racial discrimination, but china is backwards

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    6,745

    Sole prop is more about liability than about responsibility.


  8. #8

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    6,745

    and whenever a foreigner needs a work visa and a work permit you need a work permit, only.

    Z-visa, formerly same as work visa, now only for entry into PRC which then is converted into
    another sticker 居留权 ( Right to Settle)
    work permit: 工作许可