Do I Need A Visa to Visit Hong Kong?
Hong Kong provides visa exemption to certain certificate owners for any purpose of visiting, and visa/ entry permit to citizens (ordinary passport holders) of 170 countries. Otherwise, you need to apply for and get a visa to go to Hong Kong as required. Note: A Chinese Visa is not valid for visiting Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, which are considered as third regions from mainland China.
Hong Kong Visa Policy
Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) operates a different visa policy from China’s Mainland, which includes visa-free entry and visa-required cases as well. The visa-free rule varies from nationality, and permits in-equable duration of stay accordingly. If you’re required to obtain a visa/entry permit to visit Hong Kong, you shall apply for a right visa type based on your intention.
Main Hong Kong Visa Types
There are many kinds of visas/permits setting for different kinds reasons of visit to Hong Kong. The most common Hong Kong visas include Visit Visa(for travel/transit, working holiday, HKSAR travel pass, pre-arrival registration), Employment/Investment Visa (for General Employment Policy, training, imported workers, technology talent admission scheme, etc.), Study Visa, Residence and so on. Each type requires specific application documents.
Tips: 1.) If you will go to Hong Kong for tourism, you shall apply for a Hong Kong Visitor Visa (Tourist Visa), if not meeting visa-free policy. 2.) Hong Kong Work Visa (Permit) is only issued to skilled foreigners satisfying in certain programs, like GEP (General Employment Policy), Tech TAS (Technology Talent Admission Scheme), etc. 3.) Whether a Hong Kong Transit Visa is exempted depends on the visitors’ nationality.
Hong Kong Visa Free Entry
As long as you meet one of the two following visa-free situations, you can enter into and visit Hong Kong without a visa. Check the two occasions to figure out if you can get visa exempted.
(Ⅰ) Holding any of below documents allows you to enter Hong Kong without visa or entry permit for any purpose.
- ● Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card
- ● Hong Kong Certificate of Identity
- ● Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport
- ● Hong Kong Seaman’s Identity Book
- ● Valid Hong Kong Document of Identity for Visa Purposes within the period of validity
- ● British National (Overseas) Passport
- ● Hong Kong Re-entry permit (only for entry from mainland China or Macau)
- ● Travel documents with one of below endorsements:
– Holder’s eligibility for Hong Kong permanent identity card verified
– Holder of this travel document has the right to land in Hong Kong. (Section 2AAA, Immigration Ordinance, Cap. 115, Laws of Hong Kong)
(Ⅱ) Citizens of 170 foreign countries (territories) may visit Hong Kong for a visa-free stay from 7 days to 180 days.
The visa-free access to Hong Kong only applies to aliens holding ordinary passport of the below listed 170 foreign countries and territories. The permitted duration of each stay is different for different nationals. Bear in mind that the visa-free entry is just valid for visit for sightseeing, conducting business activities, attending conference, participating cultural, arts or sport events, and visiting relatives and friends.
