Application for naturalization as a Chinese national

[Max57]

Mrs Lam completed her renunciation of Indian nationality within about 4 weeks of applying. You need the renunciation to be approved before you then go to ImmD again and formally take Chinese nationality. Then you apply for your new (***) HKID and HK Passport.

Note that when you do this if you ever want a Home Return Permit for the Mainland then you MUST have a Chinese name added to your HKID and passport.

thank you and I appreciate your response

[Raaaariiii]

Hello, I was born and raised in hong kong, recently got naturalised as a chinese and got HKSAR passport. I would like to know what documents are needed for applying home return permit card. There are no clear instructions for first time application as a Chinese national. Do i need to apply for certificate of registration issued by imd or notice of access to information? Would really appreciate the help thank you

[PLamHK]

Firstly, I hope that you have a Chinese name on your new HKID and passport. If not you will need to go through the process of adding one and reissuing them.

Then you need to read this thread: https://geoexpat.com/forum/54/thread351365.html

[Raaaariiii]

Thank you for answering, yes i do have my chinese name,i would like to ask if it is a must to hand in certificate of registered particulars and does the document have to be in chinese?

[PLamHK]

Please read the thread I linked. It contains all you would need to know about the process of applying for a MEP (aka Home Return Permit) as a new Chinese citizen. And if you still have any questions, ask them there, not in this thread, which is about the naturalization process.

[Max57]

Hong Kong Passport Application Summary

I recently obtained my Hong Kong passport. Here are the key steps and facts about the process:
Important Note: Chinese language skills are not required for Hong Kong citizenship.
Timeline and Process

1. Apply for Chinese naturalization (15-20 months waiting period, no updates during this time)
2. Receive approval call requesting additional information
3. Receive approval letter by mail (keep contact details updated)
4. Visit home country embassy for passport renunciation (varies by country)
5. Submit renunciation certificate, approval letter, and old passport at Immigration Hall
6. Receive Chinese naturalization certificate

ID and Passport Steps

1. Apply for new ID card (one floor up from Immigration)
2. Receive temporary ID card same day
3. Use temporary ID at automated kiosk for passport application
4. Wait 5 days for passport (requires permanent ID card for collection)
5. Collect permanent ID card after 7 days
6. Use permanent ID to collect passport
7. Optional: Apply for Home Return Permit for China travel (old permit remains valid)

[PLamHK]

Optional: Apply for Home Return Permit for China travel (old permit remains valid)

Just to be clear, you assert that a MTP for PR non-Chinese can be used for travel to China after completing naturalisation oas a Chinese citizen?

[麥斯2025]

Well actually it’s not fair to oblige a foreigner to renounce their original citizenship in order to get naturalised in Hong Kong. Because Hong Kong Chinese can easily get more than one passport of other countries without the need to renounce their HK passport. Kind of double standard policy. But anyway just a modest comment here. Nothing personal )))

[OrganicDancer]

Well actually it’s not fair to oblige a foreigner to renounce their original citizenship in order to get naturalised in Hong Kong. Because Hong Kong Chinese can easily get more than one passport of other countries without the need to renounce their HK passport. Kind of double standard policy. But anyway just a modest comment here. Nothing personal )))

The foreign nationalities are not officially recognised. If one wishes to have them on the record, they can make a declaration to the HK government and subsequently will lose their Chinese nationality.

Admit it's rather bizarre but in another sense, many HK Chinese and Macao Chinese people hold foreign citizenship bestowed directly or indirectly by the former colonial power, making them lose Chinese citizenship would probably not be the ideal outcome.

A naturalised applicant is free to apply for their original citizenship if it is allowed without losing their Chinese citizenship in HK.

[GotIt]

Optional: Apply for Home Return Permit for China travel (old permit remains valid)

Did you get any formal confirmation for this statement?

MTP for foreign nationals has your previous nationality, and passport number. You're obliged to change it when changing passport. And you've changed nationality, not just passport number. This renders your MTP document as invalid. Crossing borders with invalid documents is normally an offence by immigration laws. Not sure how strict Mainland would be on this.
If you don't have formal confirmation, then your successful crossing the border would be at best "survivor's evidence", and not a strong one. I'm curious what would happen when you'd be applying for Home Return Permit later, and/or when crossing the border using it. This invalid MTP may bite you years later, when they finally sync their systems.

For the optimal steps, they're slightly different:
1) get Naturalisation certificate
2) Go upstairs to apply for new HKID with 3 stars. Tell that you'd like to add your Chinese name to it, if you don't have it already.
3) Same floor - apply for Certificate of Registered Particulars (in Chinese language). Immigration won't tell you this step, since it's optional and only needed for Home Return Permit.
4) Go back to Naturalisation floor, and apply for HK passport.

7 working days later - pick up HKID and passport.
6 weeks later - pickup Certificate of Registered Particulars and can apply for HRP.