A view of Hong Kong Photo: VCG

Chinese mainland authorities said on Friday that Shenzhen residents can apply for multiple-entry permits to Hong Kong from December 1, allowing them unlimited entry within a year with stays of no longer than seven days each time.

A spokesperson for the Hong Kong SAR government stated that the Hong Kong SAR welcomes and is grateful for this arrangement, adding that it is expected to inject new momentum into the city's tourism, dining, and retail sectors, according to a release on the website of the SAR government.

Starting December 1, 2024, residents and residence permits holders in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, can apply for the "multiple-entry" travel permit for travel to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), allowing unlimited entries within one year, with each stay not exceeding seven days, according to a statement by the National Immigration Administration on Friday.

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in his annual policy address in October that the HKSAR government proposed to the central government further enhancements on mainland residents' tourism visit endorsements to Hong Kong, including resuming the "multiple entry" Individual Visit Endorsements for Shenzhen residents and expanding the coverage of pilot cities for implementing policies on the "one trip per week" Individual Visit Endorsements. In response, the central government said relevant departments were studying the expedited implementation of the proposal proactively.

In 2009, the central government allowed eligible Shenzhen residents to apply for the "multiple entry" travel permit, which allowed them to enter and exit Hong Kong SAR an unlimited number of times within a year. However, in 2015, the Hong Kong SAR assessed the capacity to accommodate and receive travelers and proposed to the central government to replace the "multiple entry" policy with a "one trip per week" policy, according to hkcna.hk.

Beginning January 1, 2025, residents of Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, can apply for a "one trip per week" travel permit for travel to Macao SAR. This will allow them to go to Macao SAR once every week for a whole year. Each visit can last up to seven days, but they can only go once each week.

Residents and residence permit holders in the Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, Zhuhai city, can apply for the "multiple-entry" travel permit for travel to Macao. This allows for unlimited trips to Macao within one year, with each stay not exceeding seven days.

The application for the previous "one trip per week" permits for Shenzhen visitors to Hong Kong SAR will no longer be accepted from December 1 while those already issued can continue to be used as long as they are still valid.

Global Times