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HK Permanent ID with employment visa gap of 6 months, while still in HK

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Mar 2018
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    14

    HK Permanent ID with employment visa gap of 6 months, while still in HK

    I entered HK with 12 months training visa in early March 2011. When my training visa expired in March 2012, I left for Macau and arrived with tourist stamp the next day. Until October 2012 I had tourist stamps in my passport while I stayed with my boyfriend in HK and looked for new employment. This means I had just over 6 months gap between my Training and Employment visas. I got Employment visa on 22 October 2012 finally after finding a job.

    What are my chances of getting Permanent ID approved with 6 months gap between my "ordinary residency" (Employment visa)in HK?
    After all I can explain I stayed in HK with multiple up to 3 months Visitor stamps during this gap while trying my best to "make HK my permanent home" looking for employment. I had regular transactions on my bank account as well.



    Thanks!


  2. #2

    Join Date
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    You can apply for PR 7 years from 22 October 2012, i.e. in 2019. Before that your chances are literally zero. Tourist visa doesn't count as "ordinarily residing".

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  3. #3

    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    You can try! It depends on your luck with the immigration officer. Since you entered legally on a visa on March 2011 that means now has been 7 years. Remember the process can take 2 months so you can apply about 1-2 months before your 7 year date.


  4. #4

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    Hi! I'm on a similar scenario, also with some doubts. Can you check in advance with the information desk and see if that would work?
    Also, how does the process work? 1-2 Months in advance you ask for the PR. But should you also ask for a visa extension should it fail? Of course the time where I should make my 7 years is also the exact time the visa expires. It also takes around 3 weeks to extend, right? I wouldn't want to be on a situation where I'd have to be visa-less.

    Thanks!


  5. #5

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    Holy crap are they picky. Thanks for the detailed explanation. Ok, so PR request to initiate the procedure, then under any circumstances, also visa renewal. If in the end it got rejected this year, I could still apply next year and it shouldn't penalize me in any manner right?


  6. #6

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    Just give it a try, what's the worst they can do? Tell you to come back next year...


  7. #7

    Join Date
    Apr 2018
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    6 month gap is too long to meet with the requirement of ordinary residency.

    visitor visa is not admitted to status of ordinary residency in general case. There is little chance for you applying the PR if you count it from March 2011.

    The importance of continuous staying in HK for 7 years is crucial in deciding if the application is approved or not. Because it matters heavily with the local economy activities and the rule of law. If visitor visa status is treated as a kind of ordinary residency,non-PR offenders being kept in jail for almost 7 years can also ask for PR qualification in the same sense.


  8. #8

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by Imm_consultancy:
    If visitor visa status is treated as a kind of ordinary residency,non-PR offenders being kept in jail for almost 7 years can also ask for PR qualification in the same sense.
    No they couldn't, because beeing in jail is specifically mentioned in the law as not counting for residence purposes.
    emx likes this.

  9. #9

    So did they end up counting your stay on a tourist visa toward the 7 years mark?!


  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by M4ndy:
    I entered HK with 12 months training visa in early March 2011. When my training visa expired in March 2012, I left for Macau and arrived with tourist stamp the next day. Until October 2012 I had tourist stamps in my passport while I stayed with my boyfriend in HK and looked for new employment. This means I had just over 6 months gap between my Training and Employment visas. I got Employment visa on 22 October 2012 finally after finding a job.

    What are my chances of getting Permanent ID approved with 6 months gap between my "ordinary residency" (Employment visa)in HK?
    After all I can explain I stayed in HK with multiple up to 3 months Visitor stamps during this gap while trying my best to "make HK my permanent home" looking for employment. I had regular transactions on my bank account as well.



    Thanks!

    So did they end up counting your stay on a tourist visa toward the 7 years mark?!