The crossing
Home Return Permit, explained: who needs what to enter the Mainland from Hong Kong
Updated 9 November 2026
A Hong Kong identity card, a paper slip or an electronic pass is not a published route into Shenzhen, and a reader who relied on one could be refused at the port. This page sets out what the official pages say.
Who needs what?
| You are | You use |
|---|---|
| A Hong Kong resident of Chinese nationality | The Home Return Permit |
| A non-Chinese permanent resident | A five-year permit available through China Travel Service since 10 July 2024, or a passport with a visa or visa-free entry |
| Another non-Chinese resident | A passport with a visa or visa-free entry |
The Home Return Permit, which the Immigration Department calls the Home Visit Permit, is valid for ten years for adults and five years for under-18s. The Immigration Department's FAQ notes the five years for children, and the adult term is set by Mainland rules. The five-year permit for non-Chinese permanent residents is the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese citizens), issued since 10 July 2024 through China Travel Service, according to the National Immigration Administration's announcement. A holder may stay up to 90 days per visit.
Is my Hong Kong ID enough?
No. The Immigration Department's FAQ tells travellers to bring their Hong Kong identity card or Re-entry Permit and the valid travel documents required for travel to the Mainland, so the identity card alone is not enough. Face Scan lanes at the new Huanggang Port, for enrolled travellers aged 14 or above, need no physical document at the first gate, but you still need the permit and the Mainland e-channel registration, so carry it. Hotels will also ask for your travel document, as our hotel page explains. If you hold a Home Return Permit, carry it every time, and see what to do if you lose it.
What about e-Channel and children?
The age rules you may have seen belong to the Hong Kong e-Channel, not to Mainland entry. Hong Kong enrols permanent residents aged 11 or over with a smart identity card, and children aged 7 to 10 on further conditions, and the Mainland side has its own registration, covered in e-Channel for residents. Every child needs their own permit, as crossing with kids sets out.
For renewal and fees, use China Travel Service's own page. We could not confirm a list of service centres or an online or app renewal route, so we do not list them.
Quick answers
- Can I enter Shenzhen with my Hong Kong ID card?
- No. A Hong Kong resident of Chinese nationality needs the Home Return Permit. The ID card is only the Hong Kong exit document.
- How long is a Home Return Permit valid?
- Ten years for adults aged 18 or over and five years for under-18s.
- What can a non-Chinese permanent resident use?
- A five-year permit through China Travel Service since 10 July 2024, or a passport with a visa or visa-free entry.
- Does my child need a permit?
- Yes. Each child needs their own travel document.