best approach for smart id

[banzai]

Greetings! I wish I found out about this forum before I went to HK.

I like to get a smart id (3 stars perferred) and ultimately a "return to china" card so that I can visit long lost relatives. Although I might be willing to move to HK/China for work if the opportunity is present, I have only recently given this some thoughts. Any feedback is appreciated, as it will prepare me for the ultimate task of asking/applying at the immigration department.

Here are some data:

My wife is born in HK and has a smart id (3 stars).

I am US born and raised from HK parents. Both of my parents have recently updated their id to the smart id (3 stars). At the time of my birth, one parent (born in China) had already obtained US citizenship and the other parent (born in HK) had a US permament resident. I am currently researching the "settlement issue" while writing this.

Based on some of the threads that I have read, my alternative option is to obtain a dependent visa/id through my wife. Renew and live in HK for 7 years to get permenent resident smart id. However, does anyone know who how the dependent visa/id affect my goal of getting a "return to china" card?

Thanks!

[PDLM]

A return to China card requires that you be a Chinese citizen. I suspect that because of the "settlement" issue you would not be regarded as a Chinese citizen.

As a US citizen you shouldn't have much difficulty (but some expense) getting a visa for China anyway - if it's just to visit some relatives there occasionally then that would seem to be much less hassle.

Living in HK for 7 years on a dependant visa would get you Right of Abode, but not citizenship, and hence not a "return to China" card.

You could, of course, renounce your American citizenship and naturalise as Chinese.

[eddiew888]

Like PDLM said....in order to get a China Return Home Permit you have to be of Chinese citizenship...and that means you have to give up all others as China does not recognise Dual-Nationalities. So give up your US and get a 3-star HKID and you are good to go! But honestly your US citizenship is worth more than a China return Home permit. Personally I would just stick to getting 3-year VISAs.

[PDLM]

Until he's a HK PR then 1-year is the best he's going to be able to get I believe (and perhaps only 6 months for the first couple at least).

[banzai]

Dear PDLM and eddiew888,

Thanks for your replies. I will be looking up the relavent information from the official website and see what my best options are. It might be a few months till I come to HK again.

Happy news years!