Wed, Jun 28, 2023 page2

• Red tape blamed for fall in immigrants from HK

  BYZANTINE: Hong Kongers complained about lengthy processing times, but the government said that it was standard practice to put suspicious applications on hold

  • By Jonathan Chin / Staff writer
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  The number of approved immigration applications from Hong Kong declined sharply last year, the Chinese-language United Daily News reported over the weekend, citing the National Immigration Agency.

  The 2019 democracy protests in Hong Kong and the ensuing government crackdown spurred an immigration surge to Taiwan. In July 2020, President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration established the Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchanges Office as part of Taiwan’s effort to support Hong Kongers in their pursuit of freedom and democracy.

  Immigration from the territory peaked in 2021, when 11,173 Hong Kongers obtained temporary residency and 1,685 obtained permanent residency, the newspaper said, citing government figures.

  

  A Ferris wheel is pictured in front of the Hong Kong skyline on Feb. 2.

  Photo: AFP

  Last year, the number of Hong Kongers who obtained temporary residency fell to 8,975 and the number of those who obtained permanent residency fell to 1,296, which marked declines of 19.9 percent and 23 percent from the previous year respectively, it said.

  Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper reported that an increasing number of Hong Kongers became unwilling to stay in Taiwan, with many choosing to return to the territory or emigrate to the UK, Canada or Australia.

  The most common complaints about Taiwan’s immigration process were the length of the evaluation period, “stonewalling” by officials and national security background checks, it said.

  A Hong Konger identified as “Kathy” was cited as saying that she applied for permanent residency after making an investment in Taiwan, but the officials handling her application made endless demands for additional documents.

  Daunted by the lengthy process, Kathy ended her residency in Taiwan in favor of moving to the UK, she said.

  “If [the government] does not want Hong Kongers to stay, it should do so forthrightly, instead of deliberately obstructing our applications,” she was quoted as saying.

  Hong Kong immigrants who meet the requirements could previously obtain Taiwanese residency in no more than two weeks, said Chung Yao-sheng (鍾燿聲), an accountant specializing in providing immigration services to Hong Kongers.

  However, in late 2021, evaluation periods were lengthened to several months and those applying for residency via investment saw their cases delayed for up to a year, he said, adding that visa-seeking students and relatives of Taiwanese experienced similar difficulties.

  Chung’s office handled about 100 cases last year and 70 percent of the clients canceled their applications in favor of emigrating to the UK, he said, adding that the immigration process has become more opaque and uncertain.

  A Hong Konger surnamed Chiang (姜), who three years ago became a naturalized Taiwanese national, said she has never heard of the Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchanges Office or any service that the office provides.

  The newspaper quoted the Mainland Affairs Council as saying that the immigration guidelines regarding Hong Kongers with special skills or those who invest in the nation have remained the same since the office’s establishment.

  Most failed immigration application were rejected due to unscrupulous actions by immigration service providers, including the use of shell corporations to simulate investment in Taiwan or seeking to use Taiwanese residency to emigrate to other countries, it said.

  Government offices are supposed to delay an immigration application and demand supplemental materials if there are doubts about the truthfulness of the claims made by the applicant, it said.

  Each immigration application from Hong Kong is judged on its own merit according to established procedures, it added.
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