Chinese Citizenship Query

[md1101]

lungyun, if you're still here.. have you made in progress towards residency in hk?

[imron]

lungyun, if you're still here.. have you made in progress towards residency in hk?

He hasn't signed in since May 2006.

[jimmyk]

go to http://www.fdi.gov.cn/pub/FDI_EN/Laws/law_en_info.jsp?docid=72552 UPDATED: December-14-2006 NO.49 DEC.7, 2006

The Passport Law of the People's Republic of China

good luck

[Alienfish]

Hi everyone, was looking around the internet and this looks like what I need.

Basically my situation is similar to KingKitega in that both my parents were born in HK but have moved to the UK in the 70's. They both hold a PIC. I was born in the UK but hold a ID with RO.

What I want to know is am I eligible for a PIC as it says on the HK government website that its possible to apply from overseas. (Overseas Application for Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card (PIC)) http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkid_oversea.htm

and can I apply for a HKSAR passport or a Home Return Card for entry in to China?

If anyone can help ill be very grateful as the HK government website is confusing!

[skylee]

Alienfish, would you consider writing to the HK Immigration Department? I am sure they receive lots and lots of letters / emails everyday asking similar questions. But normally you will get a reply because Govt departments in HK must reply to enquiries.

[flameproof]

Some time ago I wanted to post an example of a foreigner who got PRCnese nationality - but failed to find one. Now I got one:

http://www.thenational.ae/article/20080814/REVIEW/559194546/1008

[A life of study]

Foreigners given PRC citizenship are mainly Communists who came during the Mao era. You could Google Israel Epstein for details of the (now dead) Communist who spent decades in China and edited China's Tibet for the regime and was generally a cheerleader for China's policies in the region. He was a PRC citizen.

[davidj]

You guys are quite mistaken as to my intentions it is nothing of the sort. Let's just say I need it for peace of mind.

I can't imagine any country giving citizenship to a foreigner who cannot give a good reason for wanting it. To a greater or lesser extent, that reason would need to be associated with a benefit to the country.

As you hinted that you had independent means, you might want to note that the UK rules for people with independent means require that they also have a strong connection with the country.

[md1101]

Some time ago I wanted to post an example of a foreigner who got PRCnese nationality - but failed to find one. Now I got one:

flameproof, that article was great. very long read but very interesting! this guys got one hell of a story. thanks for the link.

[jbradfor]

This has been an embarrassingly interesting thread. Embarrassing, because I never knew how difficult -- well neigh impossible -- it is to get Chinese citizenship. [Not that I ever tried.] I knew that few westerners did so, but I always assumed that was more by choice than inability.

I guess I'm just used to the USA, where it's relatively easy[1] to get citizenship, and I understand even easier in some other countries. [e.g. in Canada, at one point, I believe one could get citizenship if one invested a certain amount into Canadian businesses or hire a certain number of Canadian citizens, I don't remember the exact details.]

Even Hong Kong citizenship is not easy. [i assumed it would be, Hong Kong being much more of a land of immigrants than is China.] And what's up with putting an indication of your place of birth on your ID card? Is that racism or what? Why does it matter where you were born for your ID card? [Am I showing my American bias here or what?]

Anyway, sorry if that was too off-topic, but that's what makes these forums so much fun, never know what I'm going to learn today....

[1] '"Relatively Easy"???? Are you mad?' I realize anyone that has had to deal with immigration in the USA (which I have, BTW) is probably screaming that at me right now. Allow me to explain. Yes, the INS (or whatever they are called now) is a real pain in the butt to deal with, very bureaucratic, arbitrary, etc.. Yes, you can hear many horror stories of lost paperwork, etc. But I mean the process is well defined (even if painful), and each year hundreds of thousands (I couldn't find an exact number) do it. Compare that to what is discussed here for China.

[self-taught-mba]

So true. People always say "well look at the US". Well let's look at it. A huge percentage of the population is from people whom have immigrated. Doors were wide open for many years. Still thousands do it every year. So that argument doesn't really hold water for me.

[rob07]

flameproof, that article was great. very long read but very interesting! this guys got one hell of a story. thanks for the link.

I first got interested in Chinese after reading his translation of Outlaws of the Marsh. It's a great read.

There's a wikipedia category for "Naturalized citizens of the People's Republic of China". It's not a long list. Apart from Communists who came during the Mao era, there are also a few British people who are senior public servants in Hong Kong.

[skylee]

Following-up on #22.

Well I was just watching ATV at home and there was this interview with Allan Zeman (盛智文, the Chairman of the much loved local theme park Ocean Park). And he said that he was now a Chinese citizen. And he talked about how immigration staff at a chinese airport was so surprised to find that he was a Chinese citizen.

[skylee]

This is on the radio news today. I think some people on these forums might be interested in this information.

一 名 在 港 出 生 的 巴 基 斯 坦 裔 女 教 師 ， 因 為 沒 有 任 何 國 籍 ， 多 年 來 無 法 申 請 特 區 護 照 ， 直 至 日 前 才 獲 入 境 處 通 知 ， 批 准 她 歸 化 中 國 籍 的 申 請 。 (source)

如 果 要 申 請 特 區 護 照 ， 需 要 先 擁 有 中 國 籍 。 入 籍 條 件 包 括 有 中 國 人 近 親 ， 定 居 在 中 國 或 有 其 他 理 由 都 可 申 請 ， 每 份 申 請 都 會 因 應 個 別 情 況 處 理 。

入 境 處 數 字 顯 示 ， 由 97 年 回 歸 至 今 ， 共 批 出 15400 多 宗 加 入 中 國 籍 的 申 請 ， 當 中 巴 基 斯 坦 籍 有 大 約 4500 宗 ， 是 各 個 國 籍 當 中 佔 最 多 ， 排 第 二 及 第 三 位 的 印 尼 及 印 度 ， 各 批 出 3 千 多 宗 申 請 。(source)