thanks to Tony and SEAJ for their excellent info--it's helped me out as well! that's what i like about this forum: ppl offering useful info to one another.

i want to back up a bit here and look at your overall situation, Chiron. firstly, i messed up the link in an earlier post by not putting a space btwn the URL and the end-paragraph, sorry about that. please do check this link to the HK Immig FAQ on the General Employment Policy (GEP) Eligibility Criteria:

http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/id991.htm

item III will be of most interest, although there's some info at the end of Item II that explains some of what you'll be dealing with as u wait for yr HK work-visa to be processed.

HK Immig is not the same as Thai Immig, where yr visa-status often seems determined by what the Immig official had for lunch that day and the phase of the moon. a LOT of people want HK ID cards. i don't know what setup u have in terms of "hiring yourself" and it's none of my business, but realize there are people who set up companies here because it's easy to do (there are plenty of firms that specialize in it). please do read the info in item III of the URL above, then download this form:

http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/id990a.htm

it's a PDF (the computer-security-geek inside me urges you to download Foxit Reader for PDFs and ditch that Adobe Acrobat if using Windows, if on a Mac yr using Preview so no worries), and u can type info directly into the form, but u need to print it out then and there--u can't save the info u typed.

if u do these two things u will have an idea of what HK Immig expects you to deliver. HKers won't know this as they've never had to do it, some expats aren't that familiar with it either as their company had someone who filled out the forms and took them to Immig. and of course you can hire firms that will do all this for you. i can't recommend any particular one, but they hand out fliers at the footbridge to Immigration Tower and advertise in the local papers.

u wrote: "i want to source all the processes by myself as well to simply know all that is needed and to follow along"...this is excellent practice. u will need the assistance of your local employers and depending on circumstances, u may want to hire a firm that specializes in getting HK work-visas. HK Immig are fair but your case will be given to a specific officer and he or she will make SURE that if yr granted a work-visa, the paperwork u filed will not come back to haunt them. u give them everything u need, u'll have no problems.

i mention all this because u said u want to work in HK and travel to China, which is a preferred setup. an alternative would be to live in China, but that's quite different--maybe some of the other bros can advise. but to get the HK work-visa, u need to give HK Immig what they need to issue one.

the HK visa will take a full page, and you'll have HK entry/exit stamps unless u have the HK ID card that lets u use the e-Channel. yr China visa will use a full page and each visit will involve 4 stamps as TT noted above. and of course the Thai stamps...as u say u want "keep my appartment there and fly as often as possible," u will be needing more passport-space sooner than u think. probably best to check the address of the HK French consulate. not sure if u can have new pages put in or must get a new passport, diff countries handle it differently.

it's up to u, but if yr doing biz in China and have an apt in Thailand u want to visit as much as possible, it seems that u cd just avoid HK altogether. considering the outrageous rents here (and the current trend of Japan-based expats seeking relocation to HK and Singapore), might be an attractive option. but i don't know what's involved in renting/maintaining a flat in China.

JtB