Hong Kong SAR/Macau SAR/Mainland China: New Visa for Talented Individuals from China’s Greater Bay Area Announced

April 18, 2023

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Countries / Territories

At a Glance

  • The Chinese government announced that residents of the nine mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong SAR-Macau SAR Greater Bay Area (GBA) can now apply for a new "talent R visa" to enter Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR.
  • Eligible applicants under six categories, including those who have made outstanding contributions to the development of the GBA, or to education or health, among others that are recognized by Chinese authorities, are eligible to apply for the new visa.
  • Eligible applicants can apply for travel endorsements that will allow them to stay up to 30 days in either Hong Kong SAR or Macau SAR with validity periods ranging from one to five years, depending on their category.

The situation

The National Immigration Administration (NIA) of Mainland China has announced that residents of the nine mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong SAR-Macau SAR Greater Bay Area (GBA) can now apply for a new ‘talent R visa’ to enter Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR. The GBA initiative is the Chinese government’s program to link Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR with Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Huizhou, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing as an integrated economic and business hub.

CHANGE DETAILS IMPACT
Eligible Mainland Chinese nationals
    • Applicants from the GBA who fall under the following six categories will be eligible to apply for the new visa:
      • ‘Excellent talents’ who have made significant contributions to the GBA’s development or are deemed ‘much-needed’ for their specialized skills;
      • Individuals with scientific research talent;
      • Individuals with education-related talent;
      • Individuals with health-related talent;
      • Individuals with legal talent; and
      • Other qualified talent as determined by the government.
    • Eligible “Excellent talent” individuals can submit their applications to any immigration management authority above the county-level in the GBA, while others can only submit their applications to immigration authorities above the country-level within their location of work.
    • Eligible applicants benefit from a new multiple-entry visa option that will allow them to stay and conduct business while in Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR. 
    • Eligible “Excellent talent” Individuals benefit from the flexibility of being able to submit their applications to a wider range of government offices than others.
Visa scope and validity
    • Eligible applicants can apply for travel endorsements to Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR for stays of up to 30 days.
    • The validity periods of the travel endorsements range from one to five years, depending on the applicant’s category.
    • Eligible applicants benefit from a longer duration of stay of up to 30 days, up from the usual maximum stay of seven days allowed for travelers from Mainland China.
    • Employers in the GBA benefit from reduced administrative hurdles and reduced costs with this visa, as opposed to other visa options.

The change is in line with the government’s aim to facilitate the socio-economic growth in the GBA by promoting technology and scientific exchange activities in the region. This is in line with Hong Kong SAR’s Chief Executive John Lee’s Policy Address in October 2022, which mentioned plans to attract talent to Hong Kong SAR as well as to relax employment policies for Mainland Chinese professionals.

The government will likely introduce further immigration changes to streamline visa application processes for talented and skilled workers in the GBA region, such as relaxed requirements for applicants or longer durations for existing visa options.

Fragomen in China is Fragomen (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., operating exclusively as an immigration consultancy and not as a law firm in China. This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

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