To HKG return report

[orchidfan]

For those interested in travel in/out of Thailand, I recently did one of my numerous trips to Hong Kong.

 

Firstly, Permanent Resident status and ID card is relatively easy there if you have lived and worked there for 7 years.

Unlike here.

No money in the bank or Immigration visits required - just have to do a "touch and go" there every 3 years to maintain to full benefits ( medical, Govt incentive handouts etc). Can work - no work permit required .

My Thai wife also has Permanent Resident status - piggy backed on my PR acceptance. BUT you have to be really legally married with notarized copies of Marriage Cert. etc. Village weddings not accepted.

 

TRAVEL - Being retired on a pension, I check carefully all the airline fares....regularly.

                Every time Emirates win out by a long way....THB7 - 8000 return, 30 kgs baggage, flexible ticket etc etc (No, I do not work for Emirates)

 

                Re-entry Permit easy and quick to do at the airport - but better to have the form filled in and passport style photo attached already)

                ------one thing is that you have to go through security screening First, then back downstairs to the Departure Immigration and

               re-entry desk level.

 

               at security screening I dropped my wallet in my haste to empty pockets. I didn't notice, but a nice staff lady came running after me to return my wallet -very impressed.

 

               Entry in HK just so easy.....put your ID card on machine, step in, then thumb on reader and you're in. Piece of cake. No talking to IO.

 

Return to BKK uneventful , but a long walk# to Hall 2 ( hall 1 was full so everyone ushered to Hall 2).

# I guess it's because of the A380 parking bay.

At Hall 2 was immediately directed to the "elderly/special needs" lane which was straight in to the IO. Well, almost, the 1 farang ahead of me didn't present his boarding pass ( now apparently used in lieu of TM6 card) and a dozen other questions from IO.

I walked up prepared and it took about 3 minutes for her to stamp me in. Boarding pass slotted next to the re-entry permit in the passport!

 

My bag was already on the round-about so grabbed it, walked out, bought a beer and into an honest, pleasant taxi and driver.  He knew where I wanted to go ( 35 mins away) and straight there .... on the meter. Gave him a Bt100 tip which he was delighted with.

 

Am back to HK again in Oct - basically my Medical insurance at over 70 yrs old.

Hopefully will be a repeat of this last and previous travels there.

[samtam]

2 hours ago, orchidfan said:

For those interested in travel in/out of Thailand, I recently did one of my numerous trips to Hong Kong.

 

Firstly, Permanent Resident status and ID card is relatively easy there if you have lived and worked there for 7 years.

Unlike here.

No money in the bank or Immigration visits required - just have to do a "touch and go" there every 3 years to maintain to full benefits ( medical, Govt incentive handouts etc). Can work - no work permit required .

 

I have a HK Permanent ID and Right of Abode. However, because of the pandemic I was unable to get back to HKG within the 36 month period. I am on schedule to return next month, and I may be able to have the Right of Abode status retained, despite failing in the 36 month criteria. It will be reviewed on a case by case basis, when I apply for my new Smart ID. (I lived and worked in Hong Kong for over 20 years, and prior to the pandemic was a frequent traveller; once able to travel during the pandemic, with vaccinations, simply could not stomach the draconian quarantine period, and if I should have been unlucky to catch covid during said quarantine, as some did, a further stint in Penny's Bay, which was unbelievably austere. On top of that my flights were cancelled by Cathay Pacific, and I could not rearrange the quarantine hotel to coincide with a new booking on Emirates.)

[orchidfan]

On 8/17/2023 at 5:02 PM, samtam said:

I have a HK Permanent ID and Right of Abode. However, because of the pandemic I was unable to get back to HKG within the 36 month period. I am on schedule to return next month, and I may be able to have the Right of Abode status retained, despite failing in the 36 month criteria. It will be reviewed on a case by case basis, when I apply for my new Smart ID. (I lived and worked in Hong Kong for over 20 years, and prior to the pandemic was a frequent traveller; once able to travel during the pandemic, with vaccinations, simply could not stomach the draconian quarantine period, and if I should have been unlucky to catch covid during said quarantine, as some did, a further stint in Penny's Bay, which was unbelievably austere. On top of that my flights were cancelled by Cathay Pacific, and I could not rearrange the quarantine hotel to coincide with a new booking on Emirates.)

I just snuck back in with a mo.th or so to go before the deadline.

Didn't have to go there (luckily) before they dropped the quarantine Nonsense .

Also got the new smart card ID, which was easy enough  

Was given priority for being. an old  bugger. Fill in a paper, new photo, then come back a week later to collect new card.

I did read that missing the 36 month period still allows you right of entry, not sure a out right of abode.

I think if you go and plead your case to Imm, they may be lenient....bu it's all tied into the Basic Law.

Good luck !

[DodgerRodger]

I was away from HKG for 3.5 years for similar reasons and recently returned for a visit and to get my permanent ID card replaced.  Without any effort on my part, they gave me a permanent ID card!!!

 

As for the OP's travel advice, next time pay a little extra and fly Emirates First Class.  You won't regret...

[samtam]

18 hours ago, orchidfan said:

I just snuck back in with a mo.th or so to go before the deadline.

Didn't have to go there (luckily) before they dropped the quarantine Nonsense .

Also got the new smart card ID, which was easy enough  

Was given priority for being. an old  bugger. Fill in a paper, new photo, then come back a week later to collect new card.

I did read that missing the 36 month period still allows you right of entry, not sure a out right of abode.

I think if you go and plead your case to Imm, they may be lenient....bu it's all tied into the Basic Law.

Good luck !

I shall find out in a couple of weeks.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 8/17/2023 at 2:45 PM, orchidfan said:

I walked up prepared and it took about 3 minutes for her to stamp me in. Boarding pass slotted next to the re-entry permit in the passport!

 

Can you explain exactly what you mean by the above comment -- "Boarding pass slotted next to the re-entry permit in the passport!"

 

Are you saying the Immigration officer upon your arrival at Suvarnabhumi, since they no longer use TM6 cards, stapled or clipped your arrival boarding pass into your passport?  Or something else?

 

I've got an upcoming retirement extension appointment at BKK CW, and it's going to be the first time applying without a current TM6 card covering my most recent arrival.

 

So I'm trying to figure out are the Immigration folks at BKK CW now just ignoring the TM6 issue entirely, even though providing a TM6 photocopy has long been part of the standard paperwork packet one submits? Or they're doing something else instead, perhaps like a boarding pass?

 

On my arrival to Suvarnabhumi back in May, I handed my passport and boarding pass to the Immigration officer who stamped me in. But she didn't do anything with the boarding pass card other than hand it back to me along with my passport when she was done.