HKID in Mainland

[Takeshi]

Just out of curiosity, is a HKID generally accepted as a form of legal identification in mainland China?

 

Thanks.

[skylee]

I don't think so... if you are a Chinese national from HK, you should have a 回鄉證, and this is the identity document. If you are not a Chinese national, then your passport is the identity document. This is what I think. I never show people on the Mainland my HKID. I always show them my 回鄉證.

[Takeshi]

Ahh, I see.

 

That's too bad. I had always wanted a somehow legally recognized Chinese name to use in the mainland. Now I got one in Hong Kong, but looks like it's just for Hong Kong.

[skylee]

Well, if you like you can show the HKID on the Mainland. Maybe it is acceptable. I don't know.

PS - I have just checked my 回鄉證, and there is my HKID number on it. Maybe HKID is also acceptable.

[carlo]

What would you need the Chinese name for?

 

When I was working in Beijing, all it took was basically a business card carrying my Chinese name. I then used this name when applying for my first work permit (back in 2001), my driving licence, and so on. That made it about as official as it gets, outside of naturalization I guess. I suppose a HKID would probably work in the same way.

 

Ironically, after getting used to using my Chinese name in China, I couldn't produce any utility bills showing my non-Chinese name to prove my residential address in China to HK authorities. Another big headache there.

 

In general I found Chinese officialdom to be much more open to using and accepting aliases than many European countries.