China - Apply for Home Return Permit / Travel Document

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Procedure

A Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents also colloquially referred to as a Home Return Permit or Home Visit Permit is issued to Chinese nationals who are permanent residents of or settled in Hong Kong and Macau as the travel document to Mainland China. The permit is issued by the Bureau of Exit and Entry Administration of the Ministry of Public Security through China Travel Service sub-branches in Hong Kong and Macau and allows holders to travel freely to Mainland China.

The China Travel Service (CTS) is the sole authorized agency by the Public Security Bureau (PSB) to provide services to help accept applications in Hong Kong and Macau. However, the PSB of Guangdong processes all applications and issues the permit on behalf of the Ministry of Public Security. 

Apply In Person:

1. To Apply for a Home Return Permit / Travel Document, the applicant has to approach the Chinese Missions Overseas link
2. For first-time applications, ensure that the applicant has an identification card to prove the nationality, which can either be a valid Hong Kong or Macau SAR passport or an identity card.
3. Book an appointment with the China travel service, this can be done by contacting the CTS office in the country you are residing in or online via their website. Appointment.
4. The applicant has to visit the office on the appointment date.
5. Also, carry all the necessary documents which are mentioned in the “Required Documents” section of this page.
6. An application form will be provided to the applicant by the concerned officer.
7. The applicant has to fill in all the necessary details in the application form. (Incomplete applications are not accepted)
8. The applicant has to attach the photocopies of the required documents along with the application form while submitting.
9. Submit all the documents with the completed form to the concerned officer.
10. Pay the appropriate fee according to the duration you want( 5 year card is $260HK and 10 year card is $390HK)
11. It will take a few weeks to be processed and ready for collection.
12. The applicant can get the permit from the office.
13. This entire process can be completed within 2 weeks or as per the timeline advised by the respective department authority.

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Required Documents

• Identification card
• Hong Kong or Macao SAR passport

Office Locations & Contacts

Chinese Missions Overseas
China National Tourism Administration
Add: 9A jianguomennei Ave., Beijing 100740, China
Tel: (0086-10) 65201114
Fax: (0086-10) 65137871
Email: [email protected]
Overseas Branches Information link

Eligibility

The Home Return Permit, under the guideline of the China Travel Service which serves as the authorized agent as the receiver of application in Hong Kong and Macau, is issued to:

• Permanent residents of Hong Kong or Macau possessing Chinese Nationality by birth or naturalization in one of these regions.
• Mainland residents who have been approved by mainland authorities to immigrate to Hong Kong or Macau and have already established residency in one of these regions (also known as one-way permit holders)
• Permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macau born in a country or region other than Hong Kong or Macau and possess Chinese nationality by birth, descent or naturalization.

Fees

5 year card is $260HK and 10 year card is $390HK

Validity

Most permits for adults are valid for ten years and minors under 18 years old are issued permits valid for five years

Documents to Use

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links

Sample Documents

Sample Home Return Permit

Processing Time

2 weeks

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>
video ID|width|height<&/video&>from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation. 
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook,gametrailers,googlevideo,html5,metacafe,myspace,
revver,sevenload,viddler,vimeo,youku,youtube 
width = 560, height = 340,Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is
'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Instructions

The word 'home' is used because this permit used to be issued to Chinese migrants living in Hong Kong and Macau for travelling to their hometowns in mainland China. Today, most holders of this permit are people who were born and brought up in Hong Kong and Macau; the permit plays the role of a travel document for visiting mainland China rather than a permit which allows the holder to 'return home'.

Required Information

• Name
• Place of birth
• Date of birth
• Home address
• Sex
• Occupation
• Reasons for applying
• Phone
• ID Number

Need for the Document

Holders of the Home Return Permit are able to freely enter Mainland China for all purposes within the validity of their travel document, regardless whether the point of origin is Hong Kong, Macau, or overseas.

Information which might help

• Holders who have lost their Home Return Permit in Mainland can apply for a temporary replacement at the CTS branch in Huanggang. They will, however, need to apply for a new Home Return Permit on return to Hong Kong or Macau with the CTS.
  
• Hong Kong and Macau 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 Mainland China.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

This document can be used as an identity document.

External Links

• Govt department
• China travel service

Others

More information which might help people.