Under section 2A of the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115), anyone who has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong continuously for not less than seven years can apply to the Immigration Department to verify their Hong Kong permanent resident status.
The legal meaning of ordinary residence
Ordinary residence does not strictly require you to be in Hong Kong on every day of the seven years. In Vallejos and Domingo v Director of Immigration (2013) the Court of Final Appeal established that the court looks at the applicant's connection with Hong Kong, including:
- whether you have a habitual place of residence in Hong Kong
- whether family members live in Hong Kong
- whether you are employed or run a business in Hong Kong
- the reasons for, number of and length of absences from Hong Kong
Common borderline situations
- Short trips away (travel, business) generally do not affect continuity
- A long absence needs a reasonable explanation (medical reasons, a work posting and so on)
- Switching visa type part-way does not interrupt the count
- Years of residence on a student visa can count towards the seven years
Application process
Once you qualify, complete form ROP145 and submit it to the Immigration Department with proof of identity, visa records and proof of address. Processing generally takes six to eight weeks. After approval you can book an appointment for your Hong Kong permanent identity card.
This site offers a seven-year residency self-check (/en/tools/seven-year-residency-test/) to help you assess whether you meet the conditions.