Enter China from Japan

[Peacemaker]

Hi, I am currently living in Japan and am planning to go to Beijing for a few days next month. I have a US passport and also HK ID card and Home Return Permit. I have a few questions that would be great if they can be cleared up.

1. Can I enter China with the Home Return Permit directly from Japan without going through HK? Or do I need to get a visa?

2. Assuming that I can enter with the Home Return Permit, I may have to leave China with the US Passport because the Japan visa is in there; or do I just need to show customs the HK ID/Home Return Permit only without having to produce the US passport on the China side at all?

Thanks.

[PDLM]

1. I believe that you can enter with the HRP.

2. You leave China as Chinese as far as Chinese outbound immigration is concerned, but you may have to show the airline your US Passport with the Japanese visa at check-in.

[Peacemaker]

Thanks for the reply.

That's goods news that I won't need to get a visa, aside from the fact that the China visa for US passports somehow costs almost 4 times as much as it does for other passports, there are some delicate questions on the visa application like "Former Nationality" that can be tricky to answer(or not answer).

[mike2525]

you might have a little problem in japan though.

When i was coming back to HK from japan, back when i was just a long term tourist, they didn't want to let me check in for the flight because i didn't have an onward ticket or hk visa.

so you might need to use your china passport for that part.

[Peacemaker]

Thanks for the reply.

I'm not quite sure I understand the situation, did you mean the airline wouldn't let you board at Narita even if you show them the HK ID card with a US passport? I didn't think a visa was needed for US passport to enter HK to begin with?

However, you brought up a good point as I'm not sure if the airline would recognize the HRP as a valid visa to enter China, as there is no English written on the HRP, I may just bite the bullet and pay for the visa to minimize any potential problems.

[PDLM]

I'm not quite sure I understand the situation, did you mean the airline wouldn't let you board at Narita even if you show them the HK ID card with a US passport? I didn't think a visa was needed for US passport to enter HK to begin with?

It isn't, but strictly an onward ticket is if you are (as the previous poster is) a tourist with no HKID.

[Peacemaker]

OK, I understand the situation now, I thought he meant as a long term tourist in Japan, sorry for the misunderstanding.

[mike2525]

yeah, they didn't want to let me on the plane, and told me i'd get deported.

[cbea007]

I don't see any problem here...

When leaving Narita for Beijing, present both your US passport and Home Return Permit. No problem, they recognise it, many people have done that before... and when you enter China, just your Home Return permit will suffice.

Now, leaving China back for Japan. Present to the airliner your US passport with Japan visa, and when you proceed to China's immigration, hand both your Home Return Permit and your US passport together. They will use your Home Return Permit to leave China and your US passport won't be stamped. Now when you are back in Japan, just use your US passport to enter.

I have did this several time, from China to Kazakhstan and from China to Vietnam... I hold British citizen passport, and live in HK and also have a HKID card and Home Return Permit.