Giving Birth in HK

Posted by RachRobin (317 days ago)

We are having our baby in HK in July. We are Australian / NZ citizens with HK ID cards, allowed to work and reside here.

How does it work for our baby? Will they automatically be a HK citizen? If we want to visit Aust/NZ, how does the whole passport thing work? How soon after the birth can we travel internationally?

If one day we return to Australia, will we need to apply for Australian citizenship for our child?

Any advice appreciated!!

(I am based in Hong Kong)

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Posted by evildeeds (317 days ago)

No they will not be automatically HK PR as neither of you are PR. You will be able to register with either NZ or Aus consulate for passports, etc. Citizenship should be a given by parents citizenship. Best wait for a few months before traveling internationally with a baby.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Oski (317 days ago)

1) If one of you is ethnic Chinese, your baby is PR the instant he is born. The parents do not have to be PR for the baby to receive PR status.
If not, your baby will have Right of Abode in HK as soon as one of you becomes PR (after 7 years of stay.)
2) in order to get HK SAR passport, one of you (parents) must be ethnic Chinese. If this is the case you can get a SAR passport for the baby at anytime after getting the birth certificate, but you need to take the baby with you to the passport office.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by RachRobin (317 days ago)

Thankyou both very much for clarifying the issue.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Saikunga (316 days ago)

To get a passport from Australia or NZ you will have to obtain a citizenship by descent certificate which certifies that the child is of the nationality because his parent is. You will then be able to get a passport from Aust or NZ as soon as you are able to sort it out - however you will have to get an exemption on the 'knowing' the person for 12 months thing as no one will be able to know your baby for that long.

As soon as you get the passport, you will need to sort out the HK Visa for the baby (using the birth certificate) and then you are right to travel. You can take a baby travelling as soon as you have the paperwork done and you are ready for it. Once you have the passport of Australia, no need to apply for citizenship as the baby will already have it (through the descent certificate application).

Here is a link explaining the residency of being born here
http://www.hkclic.org/en/topics/immigration/hk_permanent_residence/q5.shtml

(I am based in Hong Kong)