What about ability to access public health services without paying the non-resident rates?
Has anyone who is a non-Chinese citizen with HKPR ROA actually experienced being downgraded to RTL after 36 months absence from Hong Kong?
Surely this would not actually happen until an HKPIC replacement exercise occurs, as you still have a valid HKPIC until they argue otherwise?
In other words, even if you are absent for more than 3 years and come back, your HKPIC still works and is taken to be an HKPIC until such a time that the Immigration Department actively cancel it?
Your status and the physical card does not need to be aligned. Just because you are holding a PERM HKID, does not mean you are recognized as a PERM on the system.
I changed to Perm recently, and the HKID number remains the same, but the system status will recognize I am a PR.
I’m curious if we have actual evidence of this from people? I know it is said but am interested to hear experiences of this (or otherwise).
For example, what happens if a non Chinese HKPR is away for more than 3 years and then returns and enters via an echannel?
If no one actively removes their HKPIC, what stops them continuing to use it for stamp duty, immigration, cash handouts etc?
Isn’t the irony of the card saying “Permanent” when it is not, not lost on anyone?
Would I be right in guessing that the post 1997 arrangement was structured to discourage some from renouncing Chinese HKSAR nationality? Ie by creating the 36 month loss rule for non Chinese citizens