Can Hong Kong non-permanent residents apply for a return permit? I am Chinese, do I have to wait 7 years before I can apply for a return permit?

If you are going to settle in Hong Kong with a one-way permit, you can apply for a home return permit immediately after getting the Hong Kong non-permanent resident identity card + visa identity certificate (Hong Kong travel document).

If you are going to Hong Kong to study, invest, immigrate, or plan for talents. When you are a non-permanent resident (in the first 7 years), you cannot apply for a return permit. You need either a Hong Kong and Macao pass or a passport to travel to and from the mainland. You cannot apply for a return permit! You must obtain a permanent resident ID card after reaching 7 years of age, and cancel your mainland household registration before you can apply for a return permit.