The Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (colloquially referred to as the Home Return Permit or Home Visit Permit) is a

travel document A travel document is an identity document issued by a government or international entity pursuant to international agreements to enable individuals to clear border control measures. Travel documents usually assure other governments that the beare ...

issued by the Exit and Entry Administration of the People's Republic of China. This

card Card or The Card may refer to: Common uses * Plastic cards of various types: **Bank card **Credit card **Debit card **Payment card * Playing card, used in games * Printed circuit board, or card * Greeting card, given on special occasions Arts an ...

-sized

biometric Biometrics are body measurements and calculations related to human characteristics and features. Biometric authentication (or realistic authentication) is used in computer science as a form of identification and access control. It is also used t ...

document is issued to Chinese citizens with permanent residency in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

and

Macao Macau or Macao is a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). With a population of about people and a land area of , it is the most densely populated region in the world. Formerly a Portuguese colony, the ter ...

for travel to

Mainland China "Mainland China", also referred to as "the Chinese mainland", is a Geopolitics, geopolitical term defined as the territory under direct administration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War. In addit ...

. Bearers can stay in

indefinitely for any purpose, including work and study, without restrictions. The validity period for the card is 10 years (for cardholders 18 years old or over) or 5 years (for cardholders under 18 years old). The Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Resident (Non-Chinese Citizens) differs in that it is issued to foreign nationals with permanent residency in

and

for short-term personal travel to

. Holders can enter

and stay for up to 90 days per entry. However, cardholders are not permitted to work, study, or engage in activities such as news reporting and

voting Voting is the process of choosing officials or policies by casting a ballot, a document used by people to formally express their preferences. Republics and representative democracies are governments where the population chooses representative ...

while in

. The card is valid for 5 years from issue.

Appearance and eligibility

File:The official specimen of the front side of the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, 2019 version.jpg, The front of the current permit for Chinese citizens (since 2019) File:Home Return Permit New Back.jpg, The reverse of the current permit for Chinese citizens (since 2013) File:Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese Citizens) front.png, The front of the current permit for non-Chinese citizens (since 2024) File:Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese Citizens) back.png, The reverse of the current permit for non-Chinese citizens (since 2024) The permits are credit card-sized, making them convenient to carry in a

wallet A wallet is a flat case or pouch, often used to carry small personal items such as physical currency, debit cards, and credit cards; identification documents such as driving licence, identification card, club card; photographs, transit pass, b ...

. The older permit is also machine-readable, allowing holders to enter

at any staffed immigration checkpoint or through self-service immigration gates such as at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen boundary, Macau-Zhuhai boundary, as well as international airports throughout

. These gates scan the permits with an optical reader and use the software to verify

data, such as thumbprints and facial recognition, against a central database. Once the inspection is complete, the individual is granted entry. Starting from 2 January 2013, a new version of the permit was introduced with an updated design. A biometric chip, similar to those used on

biometric passports A biometric passport (also known as an electronic passport, e-passport or a digital passport) is a passport that has an embedded electronic microprocessor chip, which contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identit ...

, was added. The permit's numbering scheme was also revamped: the previous 11-digit permit number was divided to a 9-digit permit number and a 2-digit issuing sequence number. The new permits now also include an English description that reads: "''This card is intended for its holder to travel to the Mainland of China''." This addition was made because holders of the older version may have difficulties boarding flights outside the

Greater China Region In ethnogeography, "Greater China" is a loosely-defined term that refers to the region sharing cultural and economic ties with the Chinese people, often used by international enterprises or organisations in unofficial usage. The notion contains ...

, due to absence of an English description on the older permit. The

Simplified Chinese Simplification, Simplify, or Simplified may refer to: Mathematics Simplification is the process of replacing a mathematical expression by an equivalent one that is simpler (usually shorter), according to a well-founded ordering. Examples include: ...

name of holder, as shown on his or her

Macau Macau or Macao is a special administrative regions of China, special administrative region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). With a population of about people and a land area of , it is the most List of countries and dependencies by p ...

Identity Card, appears on the front of the permit, whereas the original

Traditional Chinese A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examp ...

name appears on the back. The issuing authority of this permit has been changed from '' Public Security Bureau of

Guangdong ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ( zh, labels=no, first=t, t= , s=广信), an outpost established in Han dynasty ...

'' to the '' Bureau of Exit and Entry Administration of the

Ministry of Public Security Ministry of Public Security can refer to: * Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Brazil) * Ministry of Public Security of Burundi * Ministry of Public Security (Chile) * Ministry of Public Security (China) * Ministry of Public Security of Co ...

''. The Home Return Permit, under the guideline of the China Travel Service which serves as the authorized agent as the receiver of application in

and

, is issued to: *Permanent residents of

possessing Chinese Nationality by birth or

naturalization Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the ...

in one of these regions; * Mainland residents who have been approved by Mainland authorities to immigrate to

and have already established residency in one of these regions (also known as one-way permit holders); *Permanent residents of

and

born in a country or region other than

and possess Chinese nationality by birth, descent or

. The permit is only issued by the Exit and Entry Administration of the

, and all applications must be made in either

and

permanent residents can be issued Chinese Travel Documents when abroad, albeit with a shorter validity period. As of 1 July 2024, a similar permit was made available to non-Chinese permanent residents of

and

allowing the holder to enter

for a period of up to 90 days for the purpose of business or tourism. Permits issued to foreign permanent residents of

and

have card numbers starting with HA and MA respectively, and are visually different from the ones issued to Chinese nationals. They are partially labeled in both

simplified Chinese Simplification, Simplify, or Simplified may refer to: Mathematics Simplification is the process of replacing a mathematical expression by an equivalent one that is simpler (usually shorter), according to a well-founded ordering. Examples include: ...

and English, and include a note that indicates the maximum duration of stay (90 days) allowed for foreign nationals on the reverse. Most permits for adults are valid for 10 years. Minors under 18 years old are issued permits valid for five years. Temporary permits are given for certain reasons, such as when a person's permit has expired and the replacement has not arrived. There have been instances of limited single and double entry home visit permits issued due to political reasons. Permits issued to foreign nationals are valid for 5 years.

History

Before the

handover of Hong Kong The handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China was at midnight on 1 July 1997. This event ended 156 years of British rule in the former colony, which began in 1841. Hong Kong was established as a specia ...

and

, "home-return permits" were issued to any ethnic Chinese people in those territories. Prior to 1999, those permits were named Home-visiting Certificate for Compatriots from Hong Kong and Macau and was a passport-like booklet. These booklets were considered inconvenient, because they were relatively cumbersome to carry around. Furthermore, the booklets were also found to be inefficient because they could only be used at staffed border crossing checkpoints where an entry stamp would be placed by an immigration official. Frequent

border crossing Border control comprises measures taken by governments to monitor and regulate the movement of people, animals, and goods across land, air, and maritime borders. While border control is typically associated with international borders, it als ...

residents, such as lorry/truck drivers, were required to replace the booklet every few months due to the lack of pages for entry and exit stamps. The booklets were eventually phased out. In 1999, the permit was changed into its current credit card-like form and the official name was changed to the current name, following the handover of both territories. A new version came to circulation in 2013 with enhanced security features and an embedded biometric chip. On 1 July 2024, the

National Immigration Administration The National Immigration Administration (NIA), alternatively known as the Exit and Entry Administration of the People's Republic of China (for mainland China's regional border controls with Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan), is a Civil service of t ...

announced the introduction of the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Resident (non-Chinese Citizens), a similar travel document which can be issued to non-Chinese permanent residents of

and

. The announcement coincided with the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region File:Home Return Permit of PRC sample (front).jpg, Previous version of Home Return Permit, issued from 1999 to 2012 (for adults). File:Home Return Permit of PRC sample (front, under 18).jpg, Previous version of Home Return Permit, issued from 1999 to 2012 (for children under 18). File:Homereturn sample.jpg, Reverse side of the previous version of Home Return Permit, issued from 1999 to 2012 File:HKSAR passport home return permit.jpg, From left to right: HKSAR passport, Home Return Permit (cancelled), and the 1999 version of the permit

Requirements when staying in Mainland China

Holders of the Home Return Permit are able to freely enter

for all purposes within the validity of their travel document, regardless of whether the point of origin is

, or overseas. However, they must register with the local Public Security Bureau within 24 hours — or within 72 hours in the countryside — if they are staying overnight in a friend or relative's home. Those residing in the Mainland for more than six months may apply for the Residence Permit for Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Residents.

Applying for a Home Return Permit

The China Travel Service (CTS) is the sole agency authorized by the Public Security Bureau (PSB) to provide services to help accept applications in

and

. However, the PSB of

processes all applications and issues the permit on behalf of the

. Holders who have lost their Home Return Permit in Mainland can apply for a temporary replacement at the CTS branch in

Huanggang Huanggang is a prefecture-level city in easternmost Hubei, Hubei Province, China. It is situated to the north of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and is bounded in the north by the Dabie Mountains and is named after Mount Huanggang, Huang ...

. They will, however, need to apply for a new Home Return Permit on return to

with the CTS.

and

Chinese Nationals in foreign countries, who do not already have a Home Return Permit, can apply to their local Chinese foreign mission for a passport-like Chinese Travel Document to visit

Nationality of holders

A home return permit issued to a Chinese national constitutes proof of Chinese nationality in

. Its status in

law is less clear, due to the principle of ''

one country, two systems "One country, two systems" is a constitutional principle of the People's Republic of China (PRC) describing the governance of the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau. Deng Xiaoping developed the one country, two systems ...

'' and the designation of the Hong Kong Immigration Department as the competent authority to determine matters under the

Chinese Nationality Law Chinese nationality law details the conditions by which a person holds nationality of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The primary law governing these requirements is the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China, which came int ...

relating to

permanent residents. As Vice-president of the

Court of Appeal An appellate court, commonly called a court of appeal(s), appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to Hearing (law), hear a Legal case, case upon appeal from a trial court or other ...

Wally Yeung wrote:; the applicant was found on appeal to be a Chinese national, but in overturning Yeung's judgment the court did not disturb this point. :Mr. Pun has also emphasized that the fact that Yiu Hon holds a Home Visit Permit shows that the

Chinese Government The government of the People's Republic of China is based on a system of people's congress within the parameters of a Unitary state, unitary communist state, in which the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) enacts its policies through people's ...

recognises Yiu Hon has the status as a Chinese national. I do not understand the principle on which the

issued Yiu Hon a Home Visit Permit. However, under the principle of one country, two systems, the Government of the

Special Administrative Region will not be subject to the decision of the

on the above question. The Court shall decide whether or not Yiu Hon is still a 'Chinese national' in accordance with the

and related provisions. The fact that Yiu Hon holds a Home Visit Permit has no direct bearing or significance on the matter in question. Furthermore, not all Chinese nationals in

have a Home Return Permit. Unlike the compulsory Hong Kong Identity Card or

Macau Resident Identity Card The Macau Resident Identity Card (; ) or BIR is an official identity card issued by the Identification Services Bureau of Macau. There are two types of Resident Identity Cards: one for permanent residents and one for non-permanent residents. ...

, application for a Home Return Permit is voluntary. Those who do not apply for the Permit are still eligible for an HKSAR passport issued by the Immigration Department of Hong Kong, or an MSAR passport by the Identification Services Bureau of

. The SAR passports are only issued to Chinese nationals with the

right of abode The right of abode is an individual's freedom from immigration control in a particular country. A person who has the right of abode in a country does not need permission from the government to enter the country and can live and work there witho ...

. The HKSAR passport or MSAR passport allows the holder to travel to other countries and regions, but it may not be used for travelling to

(except transit). The HKSAR passport or MSAR passport is also used as a travel document for travel to

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

in conjunction with the Exit and Entry Permit issued by the government of

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

. Chinese nationals holding an HKSAR passport cannot use it to enter

, and the HKSAR Government has stated that "in line with the one country principle, it was considered inappropriate to adopt HKSAR passport as a travel document to enter

."HK Gov.
Legco
." ''LegCo Panel on Security.'' Retrieved on 2007-04-03. Likewise, the Home Return Permit cannot be used to enter

, and residents are required to use their Hong Kong Identity Card or a

. Home Return Permits issued to foreign nationals state their nationality.

Issues faced by foreign passport holders

Besides BN(O) status, British citizenship and Chinese nationality, many residents of

have obtained citizenship in countries such as

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, or the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. If they have not made a "declaration of change of nationality" at the Immigration Department of Hong Kong, they are regarded by the Chinese authorities as Chinese nationals. In this case, they can use their Home Return Permits to enter

instead of their foreign passports. Under the

master nationality rule The Master Nationality Rule is a consequence of Article 4 of the Convention on Certain Questions Relating to the Conflict of Nationality Laws of 1930, a treaty ratified by twenty-three parties. This provides that "a State may not afford diplomat ...

, persons who hold Chinese nationality are not entitled to foreign consular protection in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

. As of 2025, permanent residents of

who do not have Chinese citizenship are allowed to apply for a permit to visit the

for up to 90 days, for everything other than to work, study or claim benefits.

Incidents

Ching Cheong

In 2005, Ching Cheong, a

-based journalist of the

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

-based newspaper ''

The Straits Times ''The Straits Times'' (also known informally by its abbreviation ''ST'') is a Singaporean daily English-language newspaper owned by the SPH Media Trust. Established on 15 July 1845, it is the most-widely circulated newspaper in the country and ...

'', was arrested by the Chinese Ministry of State Security and was accused of stealing "state secrets". The correspondent entered

with his Home Return Permit while holding a BN(O) passport. Since he is both a Chinese national, a British National (Overseas), as well as a permanent resident of Singapore, organisations like the Hong Kong Journalists' Association and

Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RWB; ; RSF) is an international non-profit and non-governmental organisation, non-governmental organization headquartered in Paris, which focuses on safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its a ...

, urged the British Foreign Secretary

Jack Straw John Whitaker Straw (born 3 August 1946) is a British politician who served in the Cabinet from 1997 to 2010 under the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He held two of the traditional Great Offices of State, as Home Secretar ...

to intervene. The British

Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is the ministry of foreign affairs and a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the government of the United Kingdom. The office was created on 2 ...

said it had no plans to comment on the case. British officials have indicated that if there were any representations to be made, they would take place behind the scenes. A London spokesperson confirmed: "We can offer consular assistance but we cannot interfere in the legal affairs of another country." The Chinese

Central People's Government The State Council of the People's Republic of China, also known as the Central People's Government, is the chief administrative authority and national cabinet. It is constitutionally the highest administrative organ of the country and the e ...

never recognized any British National (Overseas) status, and stated that its nationals from

cannot enjoy foreign consular protection on Chinese soil on the basis of holding foreign passports. The Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom stated that "Mr Ching is a British National (Overseas) passport holder and we have pressed the central authorities for information on the circumstances of his arrest and will continue to seek consular access as a matter of urgency, which so far has been denied." There were other cases that the

British Government His Majesty's Government, abbreviated to HM Government or otherwise UK Government, is the central government, central executive authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

was asked to assist BN(O) passport holders detained in

Pro-democracy politicians

Before the handover, some pro-democracy Hong Kong politicians, such as Margaret Ng,HK Human Rights Monitor.
HKhrm
." ''Rule of Law Protector should not be left unprotected.'' Retrieved on 2007-04-03. Emily Lau and Christine Loh attempted to use their British citizen passports to enter

because they were denied a Home Return Permit, hence denied from entering

. Those politicians, however, are still Chinese nationals under the

Chinese nationality law Chinese nationality law details the conditions by which a person holds nationality of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The primary law governing these requirements is the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China, which came int ...

; acquisition of Chinese nationality of ethnic Chinese residents born in

is involuntary, although they may choose to relinquish their Chinese nationality if they hold citizenship of other countries, except for the

British National (Overseas) British National (Overseas), abbreviated as BN(O), is a class of British nationality associated with the former colony of Hong Kong. The status was acquired through voluntary registration by individuals with a connection to the territory wh ...

status and the British citizenship obtained in the British Nationality Selection Scheme. Albert Ho, who had his Home Return Permit cancelled by the Central government, ran for

Chief Executive A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

in 2012. During the election campaign,

Henry Tang Henry Tang Ying-yen (; born 6 September 1952) is a Hong Kong politician who served as the Chief Secretary of Hong Kong between 2007 and 2011. He held the position of Financial Secretary from 2003 to 2007. In 2012, he lost the Hong Kong Chief ...

pledged that if he became the next Chief Executive, he would talk to

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

to secure a new permit for Albert Ho."唐英年何俊仁夾擊寸爆梁振英"
''Hong Kong Daily News''. Archived fro
the original
on 23 March 2012

Leung Chun-ying Leung Chun-ying ( zh, t=梁振英; born 12 August 1954), also known as CY Leung, is a Hong Kong politician and chartered surveyor who has served as vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Confe ...

gave a more generic response that did not answer to Ho specifically, and said if he became the next Chief Executive, he welcomes anyone to seek his help.

Umbrella movement

Three members of the

Federation of Students led by Alex Chow, who had booked air tickets to Beijing to put their case in front of the national leadership during the

2014 Hong Kong protests A series of sit-in street protests, often called the Umbrella Revolution and sometimes used interchangeably with Umbrella Movement, or Occupy Movement, occurred in Hong Kong from 26 September to 15 December 2014. The protests began after th ...

, found out through airline agents that Chinese authorities had revoked their Home Return Permit, effectively banning them from traveling to Mainland. No official notification of the revocation or explanation of the grounds for their cancellation were ever made to the holders.

Lee Bo

In 2016, issues regarding the disappearances of Lee Bo, the owner of Causeway Bay Books, were raised by British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond as Lee is a

British citizen The primary law governing nationality in the United Kingdom is the British Nationality Act 1981, which came into force on 1 January 1983. Regulations apply to the British Islands, which include the UK itself (England, Wales, Scotland, and Nor ...

with a Home Return Permit who was later confirmed to be kidnapped from

by Chinese law enforcement officials. Hammond demanded the Chinese government to launch a thorough investigation regarding the breach of independent

jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' and 'speech' or 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United States, the concept of jurisdiction applies at multiple level ...

rights enjoyed by

. The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi responded by saying that China would refuse to do so because Lee is, "first and foremost, a Chinese citizen (national)" under the Chinese nationality law and the

Basic Law of Hong Kong The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is a national law of China that serves as the organic law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). With nine chapters, 160 article ...

, therefore the British government would have no say on internal affairs of China. This case came under international attention because, unlike Ching Cheong, Lee was neither arrested or had any charges against him in

, and his British citizen status, unlike Ching's BN(O), was recognized by the Chinese government.

External links

Declaration of change of Nationality, Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAREntering and Leaving the Mainland, Labour Department, Hong Kong SAR
('Re-entry permit' here is the home visit permit)

* ttps://ww1.ctshk.com/zh/apply-chinapermit/ Home return permit application, China Travel Service, Hong Kong (in Chinese)* ttp://www.legco.gov.hk/yr98-99/english/panels/se/minutes/se310399.htm Minutes of meeting, Panel of Security, Legislative Council, Hong Kong (31 March 1999)br>Six-Monthly Report to Parliament on Hong Kong (January-June 2005), presented to Parliament by the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20050617005725/http://www.britishconsulate.org.hk/english/passport/travel_advice.htm Visas for China, travel advice, British Consulate General Hong Kongbr>還我回鄉權廢除回鄉證
* ttp://hk.travel.yahoo.com/041014/63/15nta.html 大眾遊箱﹕回鄉證毋須半年有效期往返內地

Bibliography

* Book in Chinese: 張勇、陳玉田：《香港居民的國籍問題》（出版社：三聯書店（香港））456

References

{{Macau and Macau-related Identity and Travel Documents Identity documents of China Government of Hong Kong Government of Macau Mainland Travel Permit Travel Permit