Giving up PRC nationality - implications?

[100LL]

Does anybody know the implications for Chinese people with China if they give up PRC nationality and trade it for EU citizenship? My better half may do just that in the next few years.

Obviously, she will need a visa to China in the future, and in return can travel more or less visa free "EU style" everywhere else.

But I am more interested to hear the other implications and disadvantages, hopefully from other former Chinese nationals who gave up their passport.

For instance, what's the situation with property owned in China, bank accounts, etc? What about taxes in China and the EU country? Etc...

Any stories or experiences?

Also, would it make a big difference if she has HK permanent residency (ROA) or not? (she doesn't have it yet but way may try to change our schedule a bit if that has a big impact).

[MandM!]

Do you have to give it up?

Most Chinese hold dual passport. I can't imagine the headache if you own property and have bank accounts and suddenly you don't have your identity document anymore.

[100LL]

Do you have to give it up?

Most Chinese hold dual passport. I can't imagine the headache if you own property and have bank accounts and suddenly you don't have your identity document anymore.

The EU country doesn't accept dual nationalities as far as I know - unless you are the no. 1 soccer player or similar.

[mrgoodkat]

Do you have to give it up?

Most Chinese hold dual passport. I can't imagine the headache if you own property and have bank accounts and suddenly you don't have your identity document anymore.

Most EU countries insist on you giving it up before they'll grant you the new one. Same as HK actually.

[imparanoic]

Do you have to give it up?

Most Chinese hold dual passport. I can't imagine the headache if you own property and have bank accounts and suddenly you don't have your identity document anymore.

i believe you do have to give it up china passport if you are from mainland and obtain UK passport and uk citizenship

but you don't have to give up your HK sar passport if you naturalize for UK passport

[imparanoic]

GovHK: Frequently Asked Questions about HKSAR Passports

[er2]

i believe you do have to give it up china passport if you are from mainland and obtain UK passport and uk citizenship

but you don't have to give up your HK sar passport if you naturalize for UK passport

Isn't this just the case if you apply with a BNO passport, rather than with a HKSAR passport?

[imparanoic]

Isn't this just the case if you apply with a BNO passport, rather than with a HKSAR passport?

My kids have full British passport and nationality and HK sar passport

[100LL]

My kids have full British passport and nationality and HK sar passport

It's a bit different for kids who have multiple nationalities by descent (multiple allowed) than for people who acquire citizenship by way of naturalisation (need to give up "old" nationality in (most?) EU countries). My daughter has dual HK and EU nationalities just like your kids.

Ligistically it seems to work like this for naturalisation:
(1) she applies for the new nationality.
(2) when confirmed she has 2 years max to renounce her PRC nationality.
(3) Once she has documents in hand confirming she is no longer Chinese, she can pick up her new EU passport....

Would be great to hear from some people who actually did it. I will also ask elsewhere.

It's mostly first hand accounts of consequences I would like to hear, the process seems clear.

[DarrenChan]

Not sure if it is the same for mainlanders marrying foreign nationals vs marrying Hong Kong locals, but it goes like this for the latter:

1. They need obtain a one-way permit to leave the mainland.
2. Once obtained, their PRC ID becomes invalid.
3. All property registered under the PRC ID remains hers, but she will need to inform the relevant parties of her new ID status. I think the bank account might even be frozen if they find out first.