Question:
There is a rumour that all Hong Kong residents holding
foreign passport should leave Hong Kong before July 1, 1997
if they want to keep the foreign passport.
Is it true?
Answer:
Highly unlikely. I wouldn't think such rumor could become fact
"this" year; but if it does, cpp is extremely stupid...(as always).
Actually, people who hold foreign passport will not leave Hong Kong before June
30, 1997. They just want to have a change to "escape", if there have any
"unfavourite" change in Hong Kong after July 1, 1997. If the politics in Hong
Kong do not change then, they will stay in there.
They (as in the PRC and HK government) have not decided what to do with
people holding foreign passports. PRC does not recognise dual citizenship.
One suggestions was to allow those people to stay in HK as foreigners and
the 7 years residency rule will apply. Another possibility is to renounce
one's citizenship in another country such that one can be a HK permanent
resident (also xitizen of PRC???).
No. They can stay in HK if they want but they may not be
able to have dual citizenships. In other words, they stay in HK
as foreign citizens after 1997. If they insist to have Chinese
citizens, then they must give up their foreign citizens first as
the Basic Laws and the current PRC Laws imply.
Can foreign citizens work in HK?
Currently, there are quite a number of foreign passport
holders working in HK and China.
Current indication of China's thinking is that all those with
prior permanent ID can stay, but they need to stay 7 years to
regain their permanent ID. otherwise they are not permanent
residents and may not be readmitted if they go out from HK.
