XN000022-1996-11-20 — Page 45

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Reply:

Mr President,

Hong Kong Permanent Identity Cards are issued to persons who have the right of abode in Hong Kong. The categories of persons who are Hong Kong permanent residents are defined in Schedule I to the Immigration Ordinance, Cap. 115.

Not all Hong Kong permanent residents have to have resided in Hong Kong for seven years to acquire the right of abode status: Hong Kong British Dependent Territories citizens (HKBDTCs) are Hong Kong permanent residents regardless of how long they have resided in Hong Kong. HKBDTCs who acquired this status through being born in Hong Kong or by descent, for example, have this status at birth. Thus they are issued with Hong Kong Permanent Identity Cards even if they have not resided in Hong Kong for seven years.

The number of Hong Kong Permanent Identity Cards issued in each of the past five years is as follows:-

1992

1993

1994

1995

421,571

458,979

500,961

503,702

517,607

1996 (January-October)

The Immigration Department does not keep a separate record of the number of Hong Kong Permanent Identity Cards issued to Hong Kong permanent residents who have resided in Hong Kong for less than seven years.

End