Hong Kong Immigration FAQ

Hong Kong Immigration FAQ

Q.1: Do I need an entry visa/entry permit to visit Hong Kong?

Passport holders from about 170 countries or territories may come to Hong Kong for visit (including transit) for a stay of 7 to 180 days without applying for a visa/entry permit, provided that they meet the general entry requirements. For more details, please refer to the "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Tourist Visa and Entry Permit Regulations". Web.

Q2: What should I do if I need to apply for an entry visa to visit Hong Kong?

If you wish to come to Hong Kong as a visitor, you may click here. Submit your application online and upload all supporting documents.

You may also submit your completed Application Form for Entry for Visit/Transit (Form ID 1003A). And ID 1003B.) together with the necessary supporting documents, by post directly to the Receipt and Delivery Unit of the Immigration Department, 2 / F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong or by an agent in Hong Kong. To shorten processing time, application forms and supporting documents can be faxed to (852) 2824 1133 as soon as possible. The original duly signed application form and the required photo should be sent to the Immigration Department by airmail. The approved visa/entry permit will only be issued after the original application form has been received and vetted properly. Applications submitted by E-mail will not be accepted.

In addition, you can also submit your application for a Hong Kong visa to the Chinese embassy or consulate in a foreign country near your residence.[Note]... Holders of foreign passports residing in the Mainland of China may apply to the Immigration Section of the Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in Beijing or the Immigration Section of the Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai.

[Note] :
Some Chinese embassies and consulates overseas have implemented arrangements for holders of ordinary foreign passports to have their visas processed by the "China Visa Agency Centre". Applicants may contact the nearest Chinese diplomatic and consular missions for details.

Q3: How to apply for a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport?

Chinese citizens who have the right of abode in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and hold a valid Hong Kong Permanent identity card may apply for a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport.

You can submit your application for a HKSAR passport in Hong Kong or overseas.

Please refer to the following links for the required documents, fees and photos:

Local application.

Overseas application.

Q4: Who can enjoy the right of Abode in the HKSAR?

According to paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the Immigration Ordinance which came into operation on 1 July 1997, you are a permanent resident of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and enjoy the right of abode in the Region if you are any of the following:
(a) Chinese citizens born in Hong Kong before or after the establishment of the HKSAR.
(b) Chinese citizens who have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years before or after the establishment of the HKSAR.
(c) a child of Chinese nationality born outside Hong Kong before or after the establishment of the HKSAR, and at the time of the birth of the child, the Chinese citizen is a person meeting the requirements of subparagraph (a) or (b).
(d) persons of non-Chinese nationality who have entered Hong Kong with valid travel documents and have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years and have taken Hong Kong as their place of permanent residence before or after the establishment of the HKSAR.
(e) a child under 21 years of age born in Hong Kong before or after the establishment of the HKSAR to a permanent resident of the HKSAR in (d) whose father or mother has enjoyed the right of abode in Hong Kong at the time of the child's birth or at any time before the child reaches the age of 21 years.
(f) a person other than a resident in items (a) to (e) who, prior to the establishment of the HKSAR, had the right of abode in Hong Kong only.

Q5: If a visitor needs to apply for extension of stay, where and when should he apply?

In general, visitors are required to return to their place of origin on or before the expiry of the limit of stay in Hong Kong. Visitors who have special reasons or difficulties and need to extend their stay in Hong Kong may submit their applications online within 14 days of their remaining stay (not applicable to those whose stay will expire within 3 days), or through other means within 7 days before the end of their stay. However, whether an application is approved or not will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please click here for details on submission of application.

Q6: What are the employment restrictions for foreign domestic helpers?

A foreign domestic helper is permitted to come to Hong Kong to live at the employer's residence as specified in the standard employment Contract.(Contract) (ID407) and to perform domestic duties for the designated employer on a full-time basis. Clause 4(a) of the contract states that the helper shall only perform domestic duties for the employer specified in the contract and the employer shall not require or allow the helper to perform any non-domestic duties. Clause 4(b) of the contract also stipulates that the helper shall not be employed by any other person to perform any other duties, including part-time domestic work. The employer shall also not require or allow the helper to perform any work for any other person. Clause 4(c) of the contract states that sections 4(a) and 4(b) of the contract form part of the conditions of stay imposed by the Immigration Department when the helper is allowed to come to Hong Kong for the performance of the contract and provides that breach of the conditions of stay may lead to criminal prosecution of the helper and/or his/her abettor.

Q7: How to submit a Notice of Intended marriage (Notice)?

If you wish to register your marriage in Hong Kong, you must submit a notice to the Registrar of Marriages in advance. If you choose to submit in person at the marriage registry office, you can make an appointment online. The relevant website is:
https://www.gov.hk/tc/residents/immigration/bdmreg/marriage/bookgivingmarriage.htm.

You can also make an appointment through the 24-hour interactive Voice system (Tel: 3102 3883).

For successful booking, at least one of the parties must submit the notice in person at the designated marriage registry/office on the date and time specified by the booking system. Hong Kong identity cards, travel documents or other identity documents of both parties to the proposed marriage must be produced. The fee is HK $305.

Q8: How can I change the personal data displayed on my ID card?

If you need to change your personal particulars on your identity card, you may complete the application Form ROP73 together with copies of supporting documents and mail it to the following address:

Wan Chai, Hong Kong

7 Gloucester Road

12 / F, Immigration Tower

Registration of Persons General and Statistics Unit

Form ROP73: Application for Alteration of Registration Particulars of Hong Kong Identity Card.

Alternatively, you may visit any of the Registration of Persons offices or send E-mail to eto_rop@immd.gov.hk. Submit the application.

When the Registration of Persons Office receives your application, you will be notified to meet with the Registration of Persons Office and check the original documents submitted in support of the application. If your application is approved, you will be reissued with a new ID card at a fee of HK $460.

Q9: I want to apply for proof of my Hong Kong immigration record. How can I apply?

To apply for proof of immigration record, please submit the completed application form (ID 697), the required documents and the required fee (please use crossed cheque, bank draft or cashier's check). Do not send cash) by post to the Immigration Records Centre, Immigration Building, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. The following links are available for downloading the application form for Proof of Immigration record, mailing label and acknowledgement card.

https://www.immd.gov.hk/hkt/forms/forms/id697.html.

Please read the Notes on the back of the application form before completing the form.

The Immigration Department will not accept letters with insufficient postage. To ensure correct delivery, please pay full postage and indicate the return address when Posting the item. (Details.)

Q10: Where can I affix an endorsement to a newly issued passport/travel document?

Visitors to Hong Kong or Hong Kong non-permanent residents may apply for an endorsement after replacement of a new travel document so that the new travel document can show their status of stay in Hong Kong. If the person concerned intends to enter/leave Hong Kong before the endorsement is completed, he/she should present both the old and new travel documents when going through immigration clearance at the Hong Kong Immigration Control points.

Applicants may apply to the appropriate groups in their current status:

standing

Group and address for processing applications

▪ Foreign domestic helpers
Foreign Domestic Helpers Section
3 / F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
▪ Persons admitted under the Premium Talent Pass Scheme and their dependants
High-end Talent Pass Program group
2 / F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
▪ Mainland residents admitted as students and their dependants
▪ Persons admitted under the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Talents and their dependants
▪ Persons admitted under the Stay/return employment Arrangement for non-local graduates and their dependants
▪ Mainland residents admitted for training and their dependants
▪ Persons admitted under the Quality Admission Scheme and their dependants
Outstanding Talents and Mainland Residents Section
6 / F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
▪ Persons admitted as imported workers under the Supplementary Labour Enhancement Scheme (formerly known as the Supplementary Labour Scheme)
▪ Persons admitted as imported carers under the Special Scheme for Imported Carers in residential Homes
▪ Persons admitted as imported workers under the Labour Importation Scheme
Imported Labour section
6 / F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
▪ Persons admitted under the Capital Investor Entrant Scheme and their dependants
Other Visa and Entry Permit Section
7 / F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
▪ Persons admitted under the Importation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents Second Generation Scheme and their dependants
Extension section
5 / F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
▪ Persons admitted under the General Employment Policy and their dependants
▪ Entrepreneurs and their dependants
▪ Non-Mainland students and their dependants
▪ The sponsor is a Hong Kong permanent resident dependant
▪ The sponsor is a dependant of a Hong Kong resident who is not subject to the limit of stay
Extension section
5 / F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
or
Any Immigration branch office (except the Hong Kong Island Travel Documents Issuing Office)
▪ Mainland Visitors
Extension section
5 / F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
▪ Non-Mainland visitors
Extension section
5 / F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
or
Any Immigration branch office (except the Hong Kong Island Travel Documents Issuing Office)