Hong Kong Visas

Did you know that citizens from around 160 territories and countries can visit Hong Kong visa-free? Depending on your nationality, you might be eligible to stay for a period ranging from a minimum of 7 days up to a maximum of 180 days. This means you could potentially explore Hong Kong’s vibrant sights or visit friends without navigating complex visa procedures.

However, even if you’re from a visa-exempt country, you will need to obtain a specific Hong Kong visa if you plan to work, start a business, or if your stay exceeds the permitted visa-free duration. It’s crucial to secure your visa in advance, as “visa on arrival” is not always an option. Importantly, while Hong Kong is part of China, its entry regulations and visa requirements are entirely independent. A standard China visa does not grant entry to Hong Kong, and vice-versa. Considering a visit or move to Hong Kong? This guide will help you understand Hong Kong visa types and how to secure the right one.

Hong Kong visa-free countries

Americans, Europeans, Canadians, and New Zealanders can enter without a visa and stay for at least 90 days. People from the UK can stay for about 180 days without a visa. On the other hand, those people from countries like Cambodia, Armenia, Albania, etc need a visa to enter into Hong Kong.

Additionally, people visiting Hong Kong have to have a passport that is valid for at least one month to about six months, which again depends on the nationality. And that validity period has to be after their intended stay in Hong Kong. Also, if you would like to travel from Hong Kong to mainland China, you might have to apply for the China visa and cannot use Hong Kong visas.

Usually, Hong Kong is quite open for those who want to just visit the country as a tourist or for conducting business activities for the overseas business that includes attending trade fairs, providing training, or visiting clients and prospects.

Hong Kong Visas for Immigrating to Hong Kong

If you are an expat that is planning to stay in Hong Kong for more than 180 days, you would be taking up regular employment and would need a work visa to stay and work in the country. Though it is very tough to get the visa, having a confirmed offer of employment that is relevant to the academic or professional background would help you attain the visa easily.

Moreover, prospective employers must convince local authorities that a Hong Kong local cannot fill their position. The same rules are there for a person changing a job. But if you have opened a company there with the help of an agency like Startupr, you would not need the drama of all this.

You simply connect with the company, and they open your business while you remain in your home country. As soon as it is running, you can apply for the business visit visa whenever you want to check out the legal things or even move to Hong Kong for your business.

Types of Visas in Hong Kong

As mentioned above, your passport has to be about six months valid or more from the date of the intended entry. The most common Hong Kong visas are:

1) Visiting Visa for Hong Kong

Citizens from many countries can visit Hong Kong without a visa for durations ranging from seven to 180 days. This includes nationals from the US, Spain, Singapore, Italy, Germany, France, Australia, and the UK. For a complete list of visa-free nationalities, consult the official Hong Kong Immigration Department website.

There are a few types of visiting Hong Kong visas, and they are:

• Pre-arrival Registration for Taiwan Residents
• APEC Business Travel Card
• HKSAR Travel Pass
• Working Holiday Visa
• Visit or Transit Visa

In case you need a visa, you would need to apply for it at the Chinese Embassy or consulate in your country. The process of the application might take up to 4 weeks, though the amount of time depends on the government office and how busy they are. There is a chance where you can request for the Hong Kong visas early arrival, but it is better to leave them to do their work. Also, note that once you have moved to Hong Kong on a visitor’s visa, there is no chance for you to change it for a work visa without leaving and then re-entering the country again, irrespective of your nationality.

2) Work Visa for Hong Kong

To secure a work (employment) visa, you must have a sponsoring job. This company then handles your visa application. Furthermore, the sponsoring company has to prove to the embassy and the government that you hold the essential and necessary skills for the job in Hong Kong. Additionally, they must prove why they need a foreigner and why a local cannot fill the role. For the Hong Kong work visas, the immigrant department would check the applicant’s job experience, education, and the other factors as well.

The Hong Kong visas application for work is not submitted by you, but by your future employer. They would even need to provide the embassy with the confirmed offer of employment, and the evidence that the compensation package includes medical provisions, accommodation, and salary, along with the other advantages that are appropriate for the Hong Kong professionals.

The Immigration Department processes Hong Kong work visas in about 4 to 6 weeks after submission. Then the prepared entry visa is provided to the employer who would then have to send it to you. As soon as you get your visa and even move to Hong Kong, you can apply for the residency Hong Kong visas for your children and spouse as well.

Renewal of Work Visa in Hong Kong

Hong Kong grants work visas only for the duration of your employment contract, usually for more than two years. If the company wants to keep you for a longer time limit in their company, they would have to apply for the renewal, which is a quite straightforward process.

The Hong Kong visas that you get for a job is not transferable from one company to another. If you resign or are fired, you must apply for a new visa and restart the process. Additionally, your sponsoring employer must inform the Immigration Department when you depart. The intra-company transfers are possible for those employees who have worked for over 12 months in any overseas office.

In case you want to do some extra work out of the scope of the visa you got, you would need to apply for the permission for this additional employment. For this, you would have to submit the application form and the visa document in the Hong Kong Immigration Department along with your passport, ID card, a letter from your current work visa sponsor permitting for you to take up the work, and a description of the work contract you have.

Under the work visa category, there are many types of Hong Kong visas that fall. They are:

• Imported Workers Visa
• Entry Visa for New Helper
• Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) Visa
• Investment (to establish / join in business) Visa
• Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) Visa
• Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) Visa
• General Employment (GEP) Visa
• Employment/investment visa

3) Investment Visa for Hong Kong

Hong Kong issues investment visas to self-employed people. If a person wants to apply for the investment visa, then there would be a need to complete a significant amount of paper that would give the details of your the jobs it will create, capital and aspects of the activity, the proposed business activities, professional experience, and even your educational background. If you are planning to move, you can check it out on your own at the Immigration Department’s website.

4) Dependant Visa

For the dependent visa document in Hong Kong, you would need to give the birth certificates and passports of your family as well as the marriage certificate, if applicable. You would also need to offer the proof to the Immigration Department that you would be able to support your family and that they have no criminal records at all. Dependant spouses of foreign workers with a work visa can take up employment.

5) Student Visa

The student visas are taken care of the same as the work Hong Kong visas are handled. In short, for getting a student visa, your sponsoring educational institution would need to apply for the visa for you.

6) Permanent Residency

The permanent residence status might be granted to those people who have been living in Hong Kong continuously for seven years without leaving the country. Other than this, many additional requirements have to be fulfilled. Also, if you have a PR for Hong Kong, you can live in Hong Kong and even work there without a visa. In case you leave the country for more than 3 years continuously, you would lose the PR status.

7) Other Types of Visas

There are three other additional Hong Kong visas and they are:

• Working Holiday Scheme: Only a few nationals can get this scheme, and it is based on a quota system. This means that a limited number of Hong Kong visas are granted in a year. Moreover, this visa has a validity of about 12 months and a person can get this visa once in their lifetime.
• Training Visa: This is valid for just a month, and it for those people who cannot get the same type of training in their own country.
• Domestic Help Visa: The domestic help visas are valid for an about 2-year domestic work contract, and the domestic worker stays in the employer’s house with them. Moreover, these people cannot become permanent residents.

Which visa is most suitable for you?

Now that you have understood the Hong Kong visas system and want to visit Hong Kong still, you need to select the right type of visa that you would have to apply for. And if you took the help of an agency like Startupr to start a business there and now you want to go there for just a few days and get some business work done, you know that you need the business travelers visa.

Moreover, unlike the business trip to China, the business travelers get the visa document in Hong Kong very easily. And as mentioned above, even though the regular short trips to Hong Kong for many does not need any visa, but the business traveler might need one.

For example, the US citizens do not need Hong Kong visas for visiting Hong Kong for 90 days, but if they are going for some work, to establish a business or study, a visa is needed. In short, if you have a business meeting or anything business related, you would need the visa document in Hong Kong.

A point to note here is that if you are planning to visit mainland China in the trip, you would have to apply for the separate visa.

Complete the Paperwork

To begin with, make sure your passport is valid and isn’t going to expire anytime soon (at least valid for more than six months.) For applying for the visa document in Hong Kong, you need to visit the immigration department’s website. On the site, you would get the visa forms and can download them directly. All you would need is a passport size photo and the supporting business documents.

The visa applications have to be submitted in person, as mailed applications are not accepted. Also, as soon as you have gathered all the necessary papers, submit them to the nearest Chinese Consulate for processing. You can also ask an authorized agent to help you get this done if you are not able to do it yourself.

Documents needed for each visa

The documents that you would have to submit for the Hong Kong visas are:

1. An appropriately completed Visa Application Form;
2. Transportation arrangement copy (e.g. flight itinerary);
3. Proof of the purpose of the visit to Hong Kong, such as:
   – Residence on dependant basis – Hong Kong ID card of the family, relationship certificate, etc;
   – Employment – Work experience proof, education background, medical report, and labor contract, etc.;
   – Study – Admission notice, sponsor letter, etc.;
   – Business – An invitation letter issued by the applicant’s employing company or by a local company to prove his stay in HK;
   – Transit – Photocopy of the proposed visit to the next destination after visiting HK, itinerary, etc.;
   – Family visit – Photocopy of proof of relationship with the person or local sponsor in HK;
   – Leisure – Package Tour receipt, itinerary, etc.
4. A photocopy of the proof of financial status (e.g., employment certificate, savings accounts passbooks, bank statement, tax payment receipts, etc.);
5. A recent photograph of the applicant attached on the application form;
6. A photocopy of the travel document of the applicant.

Any documents that need to be submitted by the sponsor, if any, are:

1. If the sponsor is an individual:
   – A photocopy of the travel document of the sponsor (for non-permanent resident of Hong Kong only);
   – A photocopy of the sponsor’s HK ID card;
   – A sponsor application form.
2. If the sponsor is a company:
   – A photocopy of business registration certificate;
   – A sponsor application form;

Hong Kong Visa Application Procedures

As mentioned above, travelers can apply for the Hong Kong visas from any nearby Chinese embassy or consulate. Other than that, you can also submit the visa application to the HKSAR Immigration Department either by the local sponsor or the post.

Also, if you want the processing time to be faster, you can send the application forms and the supporting visa document in Hong Kong via fax in the first instance. However, you would also have to send the original copy of the duly completed application form as well as the photographs required immediately to the HKSAR Immigration Department by air mail then.

You receive the entry permit or visa only upon receipt of an original, properly completed visa application form. So, ensure you follow all obligations and submit the forms correctly. You can also seek help from travel professionals to complete the process more efficiently.

How long does Hong Kong visa processing take?

You can expect the Immigration Department to process your Hong Kong visa application in about 4 to 6 weeks after you submit your documents. No express service is available for direct submissions, so plan accordingly.

However, if the Commissioner Office in Macau, the Beijing Office of HKSAR, or an overseas Chinese embassy/consulate handles your application directly, they typically process the visa in four business days. For emergencies, these offices offer express (third-day pickup) and rush (second-day pickup) services, but you pay extra fees to expedite the process.

Note: The processing time begins from the day all of the necessary documents have been submitted.

Permanent Residence

If a person has been living in Hong Kong for about seven years, that person can become a permanent resident of Hong Kong with the help of their visa document. There are many perks that you get for becoming a permanent resident that includes the social benefits that locals have. These benefits are a priority in public schools, assistance payments, and public housing.

To be eligible for permanent residency in Hong Kong, foreign nationals are required to have stayed in Hong Kong continuously for seven years. And if someone traveled for a month out of Hong Kong, they would have to stay for about seven years and one month to cover it up. Also, the permanent residents do not have to give up their other passports or citizenships for this.

In short, if you have been living in Hong Kong for a long time and intended to stay further, it is good to get a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card issued by HK’s immigration department instead of renewing the visa document in Hong Kong.

You would have the rights of abode in HK, which is the same as a green card, just that you are not a national there. Moreover, you can stay there until and unless you depart Hong Kong for another place of residence and stay in the new location, outside Hong Kong for 36 months.

Who is eligible for the HK permanent resident status?

To get this status, you need to be someone who is not Chinese and should have entered Hong Kong with a valid visa, travel document, and passport. Moreover, you should have resided in Hong Kong for about seven years continuously, making Hong Kong your place of residence.

Ordinarily resident

The seven-year period of living in Hong Kong has to be continuous and has to include the time where you were living in Hong Kong only. Moreover, you do not need to be literally present in Hong Kong for the entire seven years, but you need to be an ‘ordinarily resident’ there during that time. Ordinary residence means where you live there and have temporary leaves for maybe a business visit, or a holiday.

Also, there isn’t any decided acceptable length of time for staying out of the country, but on the application form for the card, you would be obligated to state the reason, whereabouts and period if you were not there in Hong Kong for some time more than six months. And this too, during the time of ordinary residence for you.

Dual citizenship

China does not recognize the dual citizenship idea, and so it is not possible to be a citizen of Hong Kong without undergoing naturalization and becoming Chinese citizen entirely. This includes giving up your existing nationality in the process.

Fee & Processing time

The application is free of charge for applying for the PR status in Hong Kong. And if you have processed all the things and have paid the fees, it takes the Immigration Department in Hong Kong about six weeks to process the document. As soon as it has been processed, you would be given the document that confirm your rights of abode in HK. But this document is not the one that you need, you would have to use this document to get the card, which would take another two weeks to be processed.

The documents needed to apply for a card are:

• Copy of the travel documents to show your entry into Hong Kong, which includes all your passports from the last seven years. Along with this, you have to share the current condition of stay in Hong Kong like the employment contract, investment documents, visa etc
• Copy of the documents that show that you were a continuous ordinary resident in Hong Kong from the last seven years till the date of the application. The documents in this can include the income tax receipts, bank statements, official receipts, proof of employment, and school documents
• Copy of existing Hong Kong identity card (if any)
• Declaration of having taken Hong Kong as the only place of permanent residence
• Application for verification of eligibility for permanent identity card (supplementary information form)
• Application for verification of eligibility for permanent identity card

Notes: If any additional information is needed, you would be notified about it in writing. And when a document is not in English or Chinese, it has to be accompanied by the English or Chinese translation that is certified as a real translation by an official translator, expert translator, certified translator, authorized public translator or a court translator. You can obviously ask an agency to help you as well.

How to Submit Your Permanent Residency Application?

The following are the ways by how you can submit the visa document in Hong Kong for the permanent residency in Hong Kong:

• You can apply the application online by scanning all of your documents and upload to the government office link.
• You can also email the application documents to the Immigration Department. For this, you need to complete the form online, print it out and sign on each page.

Notice: The applicants have to be in Hong Kong and stay there while they are submitting the Hong Kong visas applications. It doesn’t matter if the person is sending it via the post, drop-in or online as well. In case you are not physically present in Hong Kong when you apply the application for the PR in Hong Kong, it would not be processed.

After submission

The next process after you have submitted the application are:

• After you submit your application, the department verifies your documents. They might ask you to complete additional forms.
• If they approve your right of abode, they request you bring original copies of certain documents for verification. While some consider this an interview, it technically isn’t.
• As soon as they verify your original documents, they give you appropriate status in a letter. You can then take the letter and your passport to the Registration of Persons Office to get your Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card.
• They issue a paper version of the Hong Kong permanent identity card for temporary use until they send you the smart card, which usually takes about two weeks.

Ready to Move to Hong Kong? Let Startupr Guide Your Journey!

We hope this information has clarified the Hong Kong visa process and the documents you need. If you’ve just opened a company in Hong Kong and plan a business trip there, you’ll require a business traveler’s visa. If visa concerns have delayed your business plans, start now with Startupr’s help! We assist you in initiating your business and navigating the visa process, allowing you to enjoy the many benefits Hong Kong offers.

Last update: May 2025