Citizenship when born in China but enter on foreign passport

[zzzzzz]

If a person has "CX" on their non-permanent HKID, but entered HK via a foreign passport, does this person gain HK citizenship when they gain permanent residency? What if they have lost their original mainland documents? (But also do not have any papers for renouncing Chinese citizenship)

[mrgoodkat]

If you are Chinese, you are Chinese. Nothing to do with permanent residency. If you are Chinese and a permanent resident you can apply for HKSAR passport. If you've never renounced your Chinese citizenship then you are still Chinese.

[TakeshiT]

Anecdotes from this forum and other friends of mine lead me to believe the answer is yes, but you must declare you have "Chinese citizenship" on your HK Permanent Residence application.

The logic is the way different rules for determining whether one is a Chinese citizen apply for the mainland and HK. Under the mainland rules, you lost Chinese citizenship when you obtained a foreign citizenship. Also, if you ever applied for a mainland visa, your hukou may have gotten cancelled as the Chinese authorities would be aware you have obtained a foreign citizenship during the visa application. However, under HK's rules you only lose your Chinese citizenship if you inform the HK authorities that you have obtained a foreign citizenship. This means that when you enter HK as a non-permanent resident, the mainland rules still apply, so you are not a Chinese citizen, but the moment you become a HK permanent resident, the HK rules apply, and you can claim you have Chinese citizenship and HK will give you a HK passport and home return permit.

I guess this is a loophole...? I have no idea if it will work. Of course if you were just born in China but never had Chinese citizenship (ie. you don't racially look Chinese) I doubt it would work.

[Morrison]

„ However, under HK's rules you only lose your Chinese citizenship if you inform the HK authorities that you have obtained a foreign citizenship. “

Not true. In order to lose your Chinese nationality you have to renounce your Chinese nationality and it must be approved.
And don’t listen to THE little girls with no knowledge nor experience here on geo.

[7jai]

I've met so many mainland chinese people who have dual citizenships, they just don't report it.

I mean, just travel around some main cities around the world where mainland people reside. Majority of them have dual nationalities but they just don't say it lol It's more common than we think.

[damian246]

I have a friend from Argentina, who got his permanent HKID after working here for 7 years. With his permanent HKID, he and his wife became permanent resident and got HK citizenship.

My mother was born in mainland China. She has permanent HKID, a European passport, and home return permit. She never renounced her mainland hukou. She travels in mainland freely.