In order to facilitate personnel exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland, support Hong Kong’s integration into the overall development of the country, the Commissioner’s Office will provide following visa facilitation for Non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents and Non-Chinese Hong Kong residents as from today:

1. The above mentioned Hong Kong residents who are travelling to the mainland for business, tourism, family-visiting ,cultural and academic exchanges can apply for multiple-entry visas valid for up to 5 years with each stay duration up to 180 days.

2. The above mentioned Hong Kong residents are exempted from submitting round-trip transportation tickets and hotel reservations.

3. The above mentioned Hong Kong residents who have had fingerprints collected and obtaind Chinese visas from any China’s visa-issuing authorities abroad, are exempted from fingerprints collection when applying for visas from the Commissioner’s Office.

The foreign domestic helpers are not involved. It should be noted that the visa officers might adjust validity or duration of stay or numbers of entry of the above mentioned visas base on different circumstances of individual cases, and might ask for supplementary documents or interviews. Hence, applicants are not guaranteed to obtain visas with multiple entries or with longest validity and duration of stay. In addition, for those who apply the agreements signed between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of foreign countries in therms of mutually issuing multiple-entry visas with long-term validity, relevant arrangements remain the same.