China: Information on what identity documents or travel documents would be needed by a citizen of South Korea in order to travel from Fuzhou City to Shenzhen, and from Shenzhen to Hong Kong
| Publisher | Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 March 1995 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | CHN20134.E |
| Cite as | Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, China: Information on what identity documents or travel documents would be needed by a citizen of South Korea in order to travel from Fuzhou City to Shenzhen, and from Shenzhen to Hong Kong, 1 March 1995, CHN20134.E, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aca858.html [accessed 23 May 2013] |
| 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. |
An official with the Embassy of the People's Republic of China stated in a telephone interview that a citizen of South Korea would need a passport and a visa, the latter obtained from a Chinese embassy before entering China (29 Mar. 1995). The official stated that travel between Fuzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong would not require any special permits. The documents required would remain the same regardless of the exit point from China (ibid). In order to process the visa application, the traveller would need evidence of confirmed accommodation in China and permanent residency status in another country, for example, South Korea (ibid). The official added that documents required by Chinese authorities for travel in the country would also depend on the specific circumstances of the traveller (ibid.). For example, students or business travellers would have different documentation from that of a tourist in China. The official was unable to provide further details (ibid.). The official was not aware of any difficulties or special permits required for travel from Shenzhen to Hong Kong (ibid).
In a telephone interview, an official at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ottawa stated that a South Korean citizen would need a passport and a visa for China prior to travelling to China (31 Mar. 95). South Koreans could apply for the visa at the Chinese embassy in Seoul (ibid.). The official was not aware of any other documents required by South Korean citizens for travel among Fuzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong (ibid.).
Although the Travel Information Manual for March 1995 does not list South Korea as a country in which there is Chinese diplomatic representation (84-85), an official with the Embassy of the People's Republic of China confirmed in a subsequent interview that China has had an embassy in Seoul since 1992 (3 Apr. 1995). For additional information on requirements and restrictions concerning South Koreans travelling to China, please consult the attached sections from the Travel Information Manual.
For information on regulations governing travel between the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the rest of China, please consult the attachment to Response to Information Request CHN18228.E of 23 August 1994, available at Regional Documentation Centres.
According to the Travel Information Manual, a South Korean citizen needs a passport for entry into Hong Kong (March 1995, 157). No visa is required for stays of not more than 14 days (ibid.). For additional information on document requirements for Hong Kong, including regulations concerning transiting Hong Kong from China, please consult the attached Hong Kong section of the Travel Information Manual. For general information on travel between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, please consult the Lonely Planet attachments.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Embassy of the People's Republic of China, Ottawa. 3 April 1995. Telephone interview with official.
. 29 March 1995. Telephone interview with official.
Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Ottawa. 31 March 1995. Telephone interview with official.
Travel Information Manual (TIM) [Hoofddorp, The Netherlands]. March 1995.
Attachments
Buckley, Michael et al. 1994. China: A Travel Survival Kit. Hawthorn, Australia: Lonely Planet Publications, pp. 260-63.
Clewlow, Carol and Robert Storey. 1989. Hong Kong, Macau and Canton: A Travel Survival Kit. Hawthorn, Australia: Lonely Planet Publications, pp. 274-75, 318-19.
Travel Information Manual (TIM) [Hoofddorp, The Netherlands]. March 1995, pp. 84-86, 156-161.
