China/Hong Kong: Information on whether a Chinese national is eligible to apply for Hong Kong nationality if one of his or her parents is a Hong Kong national; whether a Chinese national whose mother is a Hong Kong national has a right to Hong Kong nationality; whether a Chinese national whose parents were both born in Hong Kong is eligible to apply for Hong Kong nationality, and whether this person is eligible to Hong Kong nationality as a matter of right
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 July 1993 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | CHN14886 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, China/Hong Kong: Information on whether a Chinese national is eligible to apply for Hong Kong nationality if one of his or her parents is a Hong Kong national; whether a Chinese national whose mother is a Hong Kong national has a right to Hong Kong nationality; whether a Chinese national whose parents were both born in Hong Kong is eligible to apply for Hong Kong nationality, and whether this person is eligible to Hong Kong nationality as a matter of right, 1 July 1993, CHN14886, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acd938.html [accessed 8 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
A representative of the British High Commission in Ottawa provided the following information on the above subjects during a telephone interview on 28 July 1993.
Regardless of his or her age, a Chinese national whose father was born in Hong Kong is entitled to Hong Kong nationality provided the father is/was legally married to the applicant's mother.
A Chinese national whose mother was born in Hong Kong is entitled to Hong Kong nationality provided he or she was born after 1 January 1983. A Chinese national born before 1 January 1993 whose mother was born in Hong Kong can apply for Hong Kong nationality, but it is at the discretion of the Home Office of Hong Kong to decide whether or not the applicant is entitled to Hong Kong nationality; in a case such as this, Hong Kong nationality is usually granted. In both cases the applicant must apply for Hong Kong nationality before he or she reaches 18 years, the age at which Hong Kong law stipulates that a woman can no longer pass on Hong Kong nationality to her children.
Regardless of his/her age, a Chinese national whose parents were legally married and were both born in Hong Kong is entitled to Hong Kong nationality.
In all of the above cases, if the parent or parents of the applicant have obtained Hong Kong nationality through naturalization, they can pass on this nationality to their children who were born after the date of naturalization.
Additional and/or corroborating information on the above subjects is currently unavailable to the DIRB.
Reference
British High Commission, Ottawa. 28 July 1993. Telephone Interview with Representative.
