Migration Jurisprudence from the South › Hong Kong
Ng Ka Ling v. Director of Immigration
Court of Final Appeal, Hong Kong · Hong Kong · 1999-01-29 · National court
Citation: FACV 14/1998
Type of case: Constitutional and human rights
Outcome: Decided for the migrant side
Question
Do children born in mainland China to Hong Kong permanent residents have the right of abode, without first getting an exit permit?
What the court decided
Yes. The right of abode in the Basic Law could not be made subject to a one-way permit scheme or limited to children born after a parent became a resident.
In plain language
Thousands of children in mainland China had a parent living in Hong Kong. The top court said they had the right to live in Hong Kong. Months later, an interpretation by China’s legislature limited the effect of the ruling.
Dalam bahasa sederhana
Ribuan anak di Tiongkok daratan punya orang tua yang tinggal di Hong Kong. Pengadilan tertinggi menyatakan mereka berhak tinggal di Hong Kong. Beberapa bulan kemudian, tafsir badan legislatif Tiongkok membatasi akibat putusan itu.
Pertanyaan: Apakah anak yang lahir di Tiongkok daratan dari penduduk tetap Hong Kong punya hak tinggal, tanpa harus mendapat izin keluar dulu?
What happened afterwards
- 1999-01-29: Judgment.
- 1999-06-26: Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress interprets the Basic Law.
Sources
Open this decision in the interactive collection (compare, filter, Indonesian view, downloads).
Cite as: Institute for Migrant Rights (2026), Migration Jurisprudence from the South, version 0.1, https://theimr.org/court-decisions/d/hk-ng-ka-ling-1999/. This page summarizes a court decision for research and advocacy; it is not legal advice.