working in Hong Kong but living in Shenzhen

I am a foreigner holding a Hong Kong ID card and work visa but working in the northern New Territories. Is there any way that I can legally live in Shenzhen (Luo Hu) but commute to Hong Kong?


Also, have you ever heard of anyone who has done this?


The price of rent on the other side of the border is just too tempting.

The answer is actually yes and no.


No you cannot legally live in Shenzhen without a valid visa a residents permit. You can however get a multiple entry visa and rent a place there to stay. Bear in mind that you could be refused entry at any point, and this will be more / less likely depending on the passport you hold.


The things to bar in mind are: the border crossing every morning and every night? True that sometimes it takes just 5 minutes but other times can take 10, 15, 20 minutes easily. Waits of over an hour at holiday times are normal.


Secondly rents directly over the border are not that cheap. Actually are more comparable to northern NT rents. Getting further away from the crossing they get cheaper but then the commute becomes a pain which kind of defeats the object. And lastly remember crossings (apart from Lok Ma Chau / Huanggang vehicle crossing) are not 24 hours. You need to get back to HK in an emergency and it can be a royal pain in the posterior.