Live in Hong Kong work in Shenzhen

1) Is it possible for a U.S. citizen to rent an apartment in Hong Kong, while workng in Shenzhen?


2) If not, what does it take to get a residency permit, if you do not physically work in Hong Kong? My company has an office in Hong Kong; however, I am an expat based in Shenzhen.

My husband works in Shenzhen and crosses the border every day - it is quite time consuming...


1. Since many apartments are rented by individual owners, it should be fairly easy to rent an apartment. I don't think there are any legal barriers to non-residents renting a flat. As long as the rent is paid on time, does it matter where the tenant works? When I first came here, I rented a flat without a HK ID card - just used my passport for ID. There is another thread about renting without an employer's guarantee: http://hongkong.asiaxpat.com/forums/practical/threads/103819.asp

OR perhaps your company could rent a flat which you then sublet.


2. Looking at the Immigration Department website page about visas (http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_1.htm), your situation doesn't fit into the categories (eg employment, investment, education, dependant). Call Immigration at (852) 2824 6111.



If all else fails, you could marry someone with right of abode (permanent ID) or an employment/investment visa!

...or share a flat with one of those thousands of FDHs who live out illegally!

Yes you can rent regardless of your status vis-a-vis immigration.


More importantly, you MUST be a resident somewhere OUTSIDE the USA in order to take advantage of over US$85,000 of tax free income that the USA government allows you to earn while a non-resident US Citizen; therefore a HK visa is “golden” in this regard.


Contract us for an initial interview (HK$2,500) and we can go into comprehensive details.




Weir & Associates

Solicitors & Notaries

2108 Gloucester Tower

The Landmark

15 Queens Road Central

Hong Kong

Tel : 2526-1767

Fax : 2868-3568

email : weirlaw@hongkonglaw.com

www.HongKongLaw.com/weirlaw

Thanks for all the input. I will now follow-up on all the leads.