Posted by
kiki13
17 yrs ago
Hi,
I'm a U.S citizen, and I've been a resident of hkg for 5 yrs now.
Between now and the next two years I plan to take some extended time abroad...perhaps mths at a time. Back and forth to hkg.
What is the longest I can be gone from hkg, without losing my status thus far??
I definately want to make sure I don't stay gone too long considering I only have 2 years until reaching permanent residency status.
Looked on hkg gov website, but couldn't find specifics that apply to this situation.
I'd be grateful for any help. Thks!
Please support our advertisers:
selda
17 yrs ago
As far as i know, less than 6 months.
If you leave for longer you are back to square one.
Please support our advertisers:
The operational principle is "ordinarily residing in Hong Kong". If you can prove this to the Immigration Department (maybe by simply providing 7 years of tax returns, rental records, etc.), then it doesn't matter how long you're away from Hong Kong in a year.
Please support our advertisers:
Thks for the responses.
Punter, Do you know at what point I would need to provide proof to the Imigration Dept? At the 7 yr mark or before hand?
My husband will remain and continue working in hkg.
I'm the one that needs to go for long periods of time to care for my elderly parents.
I left hkg 5 mths ago (here in U.S) and had'nt planned to return until late Dec.
Now I'm getting nervous.
Please support our advertisers:
When we applied for PR, we submitted those documents.
If your hubby is still and works in HK, then your family "resides" in Hong Kong. It just so happened that you needed to care for your parents. However, the official line with the Immigration Dept is they take each case on a "case by case" basis (not all are the same even with almost the same circumstances). As advised many times in this forum, ask your husband to enquire with the ID. Then you'll be sure.
Please support our advertisers:
In addition, take a look at the application for verification of of eligibility for Permanent ID Card at http://www.immd.gov.hk/pdforms/rop145.pdf
In particular, 4.2 (that is where the "6 months" come from), you need to explain why you were away for so long. It depends upon the ID to say whether you were still residing in Hong Kong eventhough you were away. Of course, it is always easier to say/claim you were residing in Hong Kong if you were physically here :)
Please support our advertisers:
Gucci
17 yrs ago
Hi Kiki, punter is absolutely right. Rather than asking for guidelines here, as this is so important to u, talk directly to an ID officer, get his/her name, double-check the info given to you again n again as anything unusual will hv their heads spinning :-) Try to clarify everything before the fact, not after.
Also true is that different officers handle similar issues very differently, so don't take any chances, esp as yr case is prob not run of the mill. After 7 years here, I had lost my ID card (read that as pickpocketed in LKF) for the umpteenth time n went along to ID to report it n request yet another replacement. The officer had a laugh when he saw my pathetic 'lost' record on his computer n happily informed me that I qualified for a permanent ID card n that he would issue me one instead if I could just give him a copy of my first entry date stamp in my pp. That was it!
In sharp contrast, a friend got the ID officer from hell, who drove her crazy n seemed to hv a huge appetite for her docs, even her bank records back in her hometown ...
Please support our advertisers:
Thks all!
My husband says I'm on a dependents visa (attached to his), and that the human resource person at work informed him that "it would not affect my status at all as long as his was active".
Anyway, just to be on the safe side he will definatly call immigration and ask.
Please support our advertisers:
You must be logged in to be able to reply.
Login now
Copy Link
Facebook
Gmail
Mail