Many friends who are concerned about Hong Kong identity and the Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme may wonder about one question: If I do not live and work in Hong Kong, can I apply for the Quality Migrant Admission? If I obtain non-permanent residency in Hong Kong and continue to reside in mainland China, can I still smoothly transition to permanent residency in Hong Kong?

Here, I will first introduce the differences between the Quality Migrant Admission and other visas.

Studying abroad requires holding an IANG visa to stay in Hong Kong, and professionals must hold a work visa, both of which require working in Hong Kong and have residency time requirements. However, the advantage of the Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission compared to studying in Hong Kong or professional visas is that it is more flexible and free; it does not have a limit on the number of days required to stay in Hong Kong, nor does it have work requirements, as long as the applicant meets the Immigration Department's requirement of "continuous usual residence."

What is "usual residence"?
In simple terms, "continuous usual residence in Hong Kong" is fundamentally different from "must only reside in Hong Kong," which means that applicants can leave Hong Kong.

According to relevant regulations, continuous usual residence in Hong Kong must be no less than seven years, and this "continuous usual residence" does not mean that one must only reside in Hong Kong.

As long as the applicant centers their life in Hong Kong, there are no specific regulations or restrictions on the duration of their stay in Hong Kong, and this flexibility actually gives the applicant a certain degree of freedom.

Therefore, only by clarifying the Immigration Department's criteria for "usual residence" can everyone smoothly renew their visa until they obtain permanent residency.

Usual Residence
Anyone who legally, voluntarily, and for the purpose of settling in Hong Kong resides there (such as studying, working, or residing) regardless of the duration, will be considered as usually residing in Hong Kong. If he/she is temporarily not in Hong Kong, he/she will still be regarded as usually residing in Hong Kong.

Whether a person is usually residing in Hong Kong depends on individual circumstances and their absence from Hong Kong, including:

The reasons, duration, and frequency of absence from Hong Kong;

Whether there is a habitual residence in Hong Kong;

Whether employed by a company based in Hong Kong;

The location of their immediate family members (spouse and minor children).

Having discussed "usual residence," we should now talk about the often overlooked aspect of "continuity."

The 7-year residency must be continuous; even if a person has lived in Hong Kong for 10 years, if they interrupted their usual residence in Hong Kong in the 5th year, it only counts as two separate periods of less than seven years as "usually residing in Hong Kong," and they cannot obtain permanent residency.