On Dec. 12 Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department issued several measures, including extension to the time window for Visa-Free Transit and making it easier to apply for permanent residence in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
According to Zheng Dong, Deputy Director-General of Guangdong’s Provincial Public Security Department, the 18-measures aim at facilitating construction of Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao Greater Bay Area and attracting more high-level talent to settle down in the Greater Bay Area.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area consists of 9 cities and 2 SARs, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan, Huizhou (excluding Longmen) Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing (city center and Sihui), Hong Kong and Macao.
“Guangdong will double the Visa-Free Transit duration from 72 hours to 144,” Zheng introduced. “Foreign transit passengers can enjoy this policy when entering China from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport.”
“Foreign transit passengers are, however, required to remain within Guangdong during the 144 hours,” Zheng added.
It is said that the 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy will be implemented in the 1st quarter of 2018.
According to Guangdong’s Provincial Public Security Department, the 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy is available to the passengers with following nationalities:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, United States of America, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The 18 measures also gives attention to improving the quality of life for highly qualified individuals in the Greater Bay Area.
According to these measures such individuals, as recommended by governments of the 9 cities in the Greater Bay Area and Jieyang, can apply for permanent residence in China. This right will be extended to their spouse and any children.
For expats who work in start up businesses or work as technicians in enterprises in the Greater Bay Area and Jieyang Sino-Germany Metal Eco City, they can also apply for permanent residency approval in the future and will be evaluated under a point base scheme encompassing education level, annual income, work duration in China and whether the job belongs to one of the so called ‘innovation industries’.
Furthermore, expats who invest more than 1 million USD in the Greater Bay Area or Jieyang Sino-German Metal Eco City 3 years in a row can apply for permanent residence.
Zheng emphasized that Guangdong’s Provincial Public Security Department will continue to issue more facilitation measures in the future, being both beneficial to the development of the Greater Bay Area, as well as attracting more talent to the region.
Author: Steven Yuen
Editor: Olivia Yang, Simon Haywood
Photo: Jing Guomin
