FEB 6, 15 .. THE HKG to MAC to HKG VISA RUN ..

I debated even bothering to post this post but have decided to do so because it shows one of the requirements that non-permanent residents of Hong Kong MUST do each and every 90 days during their stay in Hong Kong.

This post is NOT going to be pretty. So if you want beauty .. skip it! It was all 100% business! There was NO love today! Get to Macau! .. Get back to Hong Kong! .. Get a new Visa!

If you have not been born in Hong Kong .. It is quite a process to become a permanent legal full-time resident of Hong Kong! To do so is not easy.

I have formally spoken with several immigration legal advisors about attaining a formal resident I.D. card and I have decided NOT to pursue it further since I do NOT want to get into PAYING taxes and (this is the hitch) filing the necessary tax returns (up to quarterly).

I have friends here who have lived in Hong Kong for over thirty years (30 years) who do what I did today each and every 90 days (90 days is the maximum stay you are allowed in Hong Kong before you MUST leave and re-enter).

It is not pretty .. but it is a real fact of LIFE in Hong Kong for many people.

Here we go. 

There are many methods that people use to do the 90-day-visa run. All you have to do is to physically leave Hong Kong and then return. Many if not MOST do what I did and am going to show you.

We go to Macau (like Hong Kong Macau is an SAR .. Special Administrative Region .. of China) and come right back to Hong Kong.

There are several ways to do this. I chose to take the Macau Ferry. Another way (we are talking about BIG bucks here) is to charter a helicopter and fly to and back from Macau.

I just happen to live by .. to reside by .. the best way to do this .. MY very own beloved MTR Station is the connecting link for the Macau Ferry! 

So down to MY MTR Station I went ..

And down I trotted!

And through MY Sheung Wan (Shen Wan) MTR station I trotted to Exit D ..

Are you all ready for some ESCALATOR photographs! I can't clearly recall the last time (IF ever) that I have ridden so many escalators!

The Ferry Hall (on the right of the below sign) is where I am headed.

Yep .. I am still on the right track.

After the last escalator ride it is time for you to purchase your ticket. Trust me .. I paid far less than those who rent a helicopter to make the trip!

The top ticket is from Hong Kong (HKG) to Macau (MAC) and it cost me HK$ 149 or US$ 19.35.

The bottom ticket is from Macau (MAC) to Hong Kong (HKG) and it cost me HK$ 138 or US$ 17.92.  IF you purchase a return trip at the time you purchase your ticket(s) you get a slight discount.

So I paid a total of HK$ 287 or US$ 37.27.

I believe that there are less expensive ferrys.  I wanted speed!

Why me Oh God Of Abraham? .. What did I do to deserve a window (the A seat) going and returning. The man who assigned the seats looked at me and dialed me up window seats.

THAT WAS THE GOOD NEWS .. the bad news will come shortly!

Here we go to Macau!

The trip on the Turbo Jet super fast ferry is just at one full hour.

Off we go to board the ferry having gone through the process of leaving the city of Hong Kong and .. although Macau is an SAR of China .. it is like you are leaving the country of China. You show your passport and appear to be legally exiting the nation of China. I do not quite 100% understand this process of going from one Chinese SAR (Hong Kong) to another Chinese SAR (Macau).  But trust me we are talking about very formal business here.

 I GOT HIM!  

In the below photograph do all of you see the helicopter taking some very wealthy and very rich people back and forth from Hong Kong to Macau!

I believe that Macau is the world's largest and most wealthy gambling location that makes our Las Vegas look small by comparison! GOOGLE Macau and you will be amazed.

The ferry was pleasant. Soft drinks were only HK$ 25 (US$ 3.25) so I smiled and said .. "I will pass!"

"Well?" .. 

"Well what Gullible?" .. 

"What is the bad news Captain?" ..

"I had a prime window seat. I snapped some photographs. Will you look at the weather?

Then the weather REALLY GOT SERIOUS!

And?

I stayed physically IN Macau IN the ferry terminal about seventeen (17) minutes which was all the time it took for me to find my way back to the Hong Kong return gate. Next trip I believe that I will be able to 'shave off' at least five (5) minutes. I was able to catch the 12:15PM ferry so I did not have to wait until my ticketed time of 1PM!

Oh Captain .. Our Captain .. That is it Captain?

Right straight back to Hong Kong I went!  Like all of my friends suggested that I do. Get off the incoming ferry. Get back on the next outgoing ferry (they run every 15 minutes I think) A.S.A.P. and return to Hong Kong and begin the process to get your new visa.

Upon your return to Hong Kong you have the full immigration procedure to pass through! It is like you have never been to Hong Kong or to China before. Odd because both Hong Kong and Macau are each Chinese SARs.

Your temperature is taken just like at the airport.You wait in line just as you do at the airport. You have to pass through customs and declare any items you may have purchased in Macau. It is the full scene just like an airport entry into the country of China. 

We are talking NO NONSENSE here!

I am NOW GOOD to stay IN Hong Kong until 7 May 2015!

Captain? 

I told you all that this was not going to be pretty!

Listen Up! Miss Hong Kong is my date. NOT Miss Macau!

I am good until 7 May 2015.

HOT DIGGETY DOG!  .. Smiles .. Cap ..