**Update**
On Tuesday I received a call from China Travel Service notifying me that my Home Return Permit was ready.
I collected it today. It literally took less than 30seconds and I didn’t have to go inside. I just gave my HKID and receipt and the lady brought back my HRP card
I had applied in late November 2019 and I’m pleasantly surprised they approved it on time despite me not being ethnically chinese, not speaking chinese and not having a close relative who is chinese/lives in China.
All in all it took me around 17months from Permanent ID collection to HRP collection including the naturalisation, renunciation and HKSAR passport applications. Long process but not hard to navigate at all.
This thread was helpful, thank you all. Happy to outline my timeline details if that helps anyone.
Good luck @Fei88 and everyone else applying.