E-card, HK ID..etc what are they

[glorywaa]

I am so lost about all these ID. I immigrated to Canada 18 years ago when I was 20. I have the so called 5 star HK ID card and a Britsh (oversea) passport. If I want to maintance my HK residence, What else I need to do?

I also married with 2 children. My husband is 100% Canadian. I don't expect my children can get a HK Resident. But I like then to able work in HK without apply work visa. What option do they have?

[PDLM]

5* HKID card? I don't think so. Do you perhaps mean a 3-star? Trying counting the number of " * " on your ID card - that should give you a clue.

As a HK Citizen you don't lose the right to residence here. You should, however, get a new "smart" HKID card next time you are in Hong Kong. (This doesn't change your right to do anything, it just means that you will have an up-to-date document to prove it.) See: SmartID site

For your kids, I think it will depend on whether you also had a Canadian passport at the time of their birth, but we have many experts on Overseas Born Chinese issues on this board (such as aritaurus). I'm sure one of them will be along to help soon.

[Hairball]

If your kids were born before you became a permanent resident of Canada, then they would also be Chinese citizens (assuming you are), and they would get the ROA, and not lose it because they are Chinese.

If your kids are non-Chinese citizens and were born before July 1, 1997, they should be eligible to get right to land (RTL) in Hong Kong, if they've been absent from HK for more than 36 months.

Who is a Chinese citizen refers to the criteria in the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China.

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - Immigration Department


I also wrote up an explanation of some of these things on a page here:
http://www.geocities.com/icehairball/

[glorywaa]

thanks for information. For my kids, they were born after I became canadian. But I just want them to get the smart ID. If they decide to be resident in HK, they will stay in HK for 7 years right. Are they eligable to apply smart ID?

[PDLM]

Anyone who is resident in HK must have a HKID card. All HKID cards issued now are "smart".

That's not the question - the question is whether they need a Visa in order to be a HK resident. If they need a visa then they are no different from any other foreigners who reside in Hong Kong (except DHs) - if they reside here continuously for 7 years then they will then qualify for Right of Abode.

For your kids you need to answer these questions:

1) Are you a Canadian Citizen?
2) Were they born after you became a Canadian Citizen?
3) Were they born after 1 July 1997?

[Aritaurus]

Glorywaa, this all depends on when your children were born. If they were born before July 1 1997, they should be eligible for the right to land which allows them to live work and study in Hong Kong without any restriction. All residents of Hong Kong are required by law to have a Smart ID so your children would be issued a Smart ID indicating this status.

If your children were born after July 1 1997, you would have to sponsor them as your dependants and after seven years of continuous residence, they can apply for the permanent residence. If you sponsor your children for dependant visas, they will also be entitled to live work and study in Hong Kong but with a condition of stay which is the duration of their visa. I believe dependant visas are renewable every two or three years.