Hong Kong, Macau business visa length doubled to 2 weeks per trip for mainland Chinese holders, in boost for 100 million firms
- National Immigration Administration announces maximum seven-day stay per trip will be doubled to 14 days from May 6
- Change among range of measures to address growing needs of cross-border firms and improve business environment of Greater Bay Area
Mainland Chinese holders of business visas for Hong Kong and Macau will be allowed to stay in both cities for an extra week from next month, with authorities expecting 100 million companies to benefit.
The change was among a range of measures announced by the mainland’s National Immigration Administration on Sunday to address the growing needs of cross-border firms and improve the business environment of the Greater Bay Area.
Among the measures, which take effect on May 6, the one expected to benefit the most mainlanders is the extension to the period of stay for business visa holders to Hong Kong and Macau. The maximum seven-day period per trip will be doubled to 14 days.
The deputy head of the immigration agency’s entry-exit administrative department, Wang Ling, said the change was set to benefit 100 million individually owned firms, as well as staff from 30,000 companies who registered for multiple business visas.
“We hope to better meet the needs of longer periods of business activities, help business personnel to explore business opportunities extensively and undergo negotiations in a more in-depth manner,” she told a press conference.
Could Hong Kong visa scheme for Shenzhen residents resurrect parallel trading?
Mainlanders will soon be able to submit applications for one-off entry business visas at designated counters of 3,400 institutions managed by public security branches across the country, rather than through local offices where they live.
They can also apply for multiple-entry ones through “smart visa facilities” from May 6 at those sites.
Authorities also announced that a visa scheme for mainland talent that was launched in February last year would be expanded to cover not only residents in the nine Guangdong province cities in the bay area, but also those in Beijing and Shanghai.
As of mid-April, Hong Kong had welcomed more than 18,000 arrivals under the pilot scheme, according to the city government.
Under the scheme, talent in six fields including scientific research, education, healthcare, law and business are able to apply for multi‑entry visas ranging from one to five years in length for stays in Hong Kong and Macau of up to 30 days each time.
The bay area is Beijing’s plan to integrate Hong Kong, Macau and nine Guangdong cities into an economic powerhouse.
The Hong Kong government welcomed the measures, saying they would facilitate the city’s further integration into national development and achieve concrete results in improving the “southbound and northbound” flow of talent.
“[We] will continue to maintain close liaison with the mainland authorities, with a view to further promoting the connection and exchanges of talents between the mainland and Hong Kong, and creating stronger impetus of growth for Hong Kong and the entire [bay area],” a government spokesman said.
10 million vehicles have used Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge since opening: Xinhua
National People’s Congress deputy Gordon Lam Chi-wing said he and his Hong Kong colleagues had advocated the ideas at the nation’s annual political meetings in March.
He said he was glad Beijing had recognised the mutual benefits of making it easier for mainland businesspeople and professionals with high spending power to stay longer in Hong Kong.
“For example, if they come for a trade fair which usually takes days, they can soon make full use of the two-week period to meet more clients and even join plenty of mega events,” said Lam, the honorary chairman of the Hong Kong Cross-Border E-commerce Association.
“This could tremendously benefit the local hospitality and service industry.”
Barrister Alex Fan Hoi-kit said making it easier for Beijing and Shanghai legal professionals to get to the city could strengthen Hong Kong’s development in arbitration in the long run.
“Many state-owned and sizeable companies situated in Beijing and Shanghai have extensive connections with Hong Kong and international markets,” said Fan, who is experienced in commercial arbitration and mediation.
“Allowing their legal representatives to come to Hong Kong easier can greatly encourage the mainland enterprises to use legal services here.”
Lawmaker Jesse Shang Hailong said he expected the relaxation would complement the existing Top Talent Pass Scheme to deepen academic exchanges.
Hong Kong to ramp up cross-border bus services, train trips for ‘golden week’
He said the change would incentivise scholars from top-notch academic institutions and national laboratories based in Beijing and Shanghai to undertake more extensive research projects and offer longer courses in Hong Kong.
Other measures announced by the National Immigration Administration covered Macau. The threshold for mainland residents to apply for multiple visas related to trade fairs and performance will be lowered. Doctors and members of tour groups to Hengqin island, a development zone neighbouring Macau, will also benefit.
Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng said the city was “geared up” to receive more mainland tours and welcome high-quality talent.
Guangdong public security authorities also announced measures related to Hong Kong’s cross-boundary private cars. Starting from May 1, applicants will no longer be subject to investment tax status vetting when they apply for different types of “dual plates”. Certain types of car owners will not need to extend their licences every five years.
