New Visa Rules Eased for Non-Chinese Hong Kong Residents
RTHK, 16 October 2024
China announced a further relaxation of visa rules for non-Chinese residents of Hong Kong, enabling more individuals to apply for multiple-entry visas that permit stays of up to six months.
This follows a previous initiative in July, which introduced a five-year card for non-Chinese permanent residents, allowing for travel to the mainland with stays of up to 90 days and access to expedited immigration processing through e-gates.
Both permanent and non-permanent non-Chinese residents can now apply for visas valid for up to five years, with each visit lasting up to 180 days.
The application process has been simplified, as applicants are no longer required to provide receipts for return transport or hotel bookings, nor will they need to repeat fingerprinting if already completed in a prior application.
Greater Bay Area Arts Festival
HK Leisure and Cultural Arts Department (LSCD)
If you haven't got your self-drive HK to China paperwork yet, how about going along to view some GBA culture in Hong Kong?
The Fourth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival will run from October 19 to November 24, 2024, across the "9+2" cities. Hosted by the HKSAR Government for the first time, the festival will feature performances by top artists and arts groups from the region and abroad. The LCSD will coordinate the event, focusing on collaboration to showcase the area's cultural diversity.
The festival aims to promote Hong Kong as a hub for cultural exchange by inviting local and international groups to co-produce works, enhancing creativity and talent exchange within the Greater Bay Area.
Luxury hotels in China's Greater Bay Area for design lovers
Tatler, September 2034
Article about stunning and spacious hotels designed for the leisure traveler looking for something unique in the Greater Bay Area.
No prices are included, but we took a look at the Banyan Tree Dongguan for reference purposes, and a 242 square metre lakeside villa with two bedrooms and a pool will set you back approximately HK$15,000 on Saturday, 1 November.
Whereas, another property feaured, Nantou City Guesthouse, Shenzhen's largest room (Party Room) on the same day costs approximately HK$2,550.
The whole article is worth checking out.
About Ivan Theodoulou
As the founder of Eight PR, a PR agency in Hong Kong, Ivan first visited China in 1987 by train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou and has since traveled extensively on the mainland and in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). He passed his China driving test in March 2024 and notched up his 20th GBA road trip in October.
Places visited in China (by car, plane, train, high speed train, ferry, coach, bus) include: Beijing, Beijou, Chengdu, Dali, Daya Bay, Dongguan, Ganzhou, Gaoming*, Guangzhou, Hainan, Hailing Island*, Heishan, Huizhou, Junan, Kunming, Lijang, Longjiang, Nanhai, Shanghai, Shanwei*, Shenzhen, Shilin Yi, Shunde*, Wuzhou, Xiamen, Xiqaio, Yingde*, Yinghe*, Zhuhai*, and Zhaoqing.
*Self-drive.
All information is for general purposes only.
Check out more posts and photos on Ivan's WeChat.
