If you are living outside Hong Kong and claim to be a permanent resident of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) under paragraph 2(c) of Schedule 1 to the Immigration Ordinance (Chapter 115), you can apply for a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode in the HKSAR. This page will give you information on how to apply from the Mainland, overseas countries, the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) or Taiwan, and how long you should expect to wait for the processing.
Applications Made from the Mainland
Information on applying for a Certificate of Entitlement from the Mainland, including where to obtain application forms, how the application process works and how your Certificate will be issued, is available through the following link.
- Applications made in the Mainlandhttp://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/idcard/coe/appinmc.htm
Applications Made from Overseas Countries, the Macao Special Administrative Region or Taiwan
If you are applying for a Certificate of Entitlement from overseas countries, you will need to submit application form ID881 through the nearest Chinese diplomatic and consular mission or by post to the Director of Immigration in Hong Kong.
If you are applying for a Certificate of Entitlement in the Macao SAR or Taiwan, you will need to submit application form ID881 by post to the Director of Immigration.
Information on how to apply is available through the following link.
- Applications made from overseas countries, the Macao SAR or Taiwanhttp://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/idcard/coe/appfromoc.htm
Processing Time
Under normal circumstances, ninety percent of applications will be finalised within 3 months upon receipt of all necessary documents. However, this standard does not apply to applications involving doubtful claims of parent-child relationships or doubtful information. The number of applications received at the time could also lengthen the processing period.
Fees
Application for a Certificate of Entitlement is free of charge.
Last review date: March 2010
