Tourist Visa In Hong Kong: A Simple Guide

Planning a visit to the captivating city of Hong Kong?

This is your go-to source for effortlessly understanding the Tourist Visa process.

In this straightforward guide, we break down the steps and essentials, ensuring your trip to Hong Kong is hassle-free and memorable.

Visa Policy Of Hong Kong

Visa policies for Chinese nationals and foreign nationals differ. The Chinese national has the right to abode in Hong Kong and can reside for an indefinite period of time. 

While the foreign national loses this right if they do not enter Hong Kong for 2 years. Moreover, they have to have their visa or entry permit reassessed as soon as it expires.

A passport of 6 months validity is necessary for both visa and visa-free entry.

Moreover, most countries have visa-free access to Hong Kong while other countries have to have a visa to enter Hong Kong. Such countries need visas even for their transit flight from Hong Kong.

Visa Exempt Policy Of Hong Kong 

HKSAR governments exercise rights over their immigration control. It maintains a pre-entry immigration examination as it allows visa-free entry to over 145 countries with a stay period of 7 to 180 days. 

Some of the visa-exempt countries are as follows:

Algeria	Bosnia	Costa Rica	Fiji	Hungary	Jordon	Malaysia	New Zealand	Romania
Argentina	Botswana	Croatia	Finland	Iceland	Kazakhstan	Maldives	Norway	Rwanda
Australia	Brazil	Czech Republic	France	India	Kenya	Malta	Oman	Saudi Arabia
Austria	Britain	Denmark	France	Indonesia	Kuwait	Mauritius	Peru	Singapore
Bahrain	Bulgaria	Dominican Republic	Germany	Ireland	Macau	Mexico	Philippines	South Africa
Belgium	Canada	Egypt	Greece	Israel	Macedonia	Mongolia	Poland	Spain
Bhutan	Chile	El Salvador	Greenland	Italy	Madagascar	Morocco	Portugal	Sweden
Bolivia	Colombia	Estonia	Grenada	Japan	Malawi	Netherland	Qatar	Switzerland

Turkey, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Zimbabwe are also included in visa-exempt countries. All these and some other countries do not necessarily need visas for entering Hong Kong. 

However, some of these countries such as India might need Pre-arrival registration ( PAR) to enter Hong Kong. PAR will be discussed below in the article.

Countries That Require A Visa To Enter Hong Kong

Almost 19 countries that are not allowed visa-free entry are required to have a Hong Kong visa even for a transit flight. Some of these counties are as follows:

Afghanistan	Belarus	Ghana	Myanmar	Senegal	Syria
Albania	Cambodia	Iran	Nepal	Serbia	Tajikistan
Angola	Congo	Iraq	Nigeria	Somalia	Uzbekistan
Armenia	Cuba	Lebanon	Pakistan	South Sudan	Vietnam
Azerbaijan	Ethiopia	Liberia	Palestine	Sri Lanka	Yemen
Bangladesh	Georgia	Libya	Panama	Sudan

Types Of Visa For Hong Kong

1. Visa-Free Entry: Many countries, such as those mentioned above, do not require a visa to enter Hong Kong, especially for tourism purposes. Such foreign nationals can stay for 7 to 180 days in Hong Kong depending on their nationalities.
2. On-Arrival Visa: Some countries that require a visa to enter Hong Kong can obtain an on-arrival visa that provides a stay of 7 to 14 days.
3. Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR): Countries not eligible for visa-free entry or on-arrival visas need to apply for PAR online before the journey. This allows a stay of up to 14 days in Hong Kong.
4. Employment visa: This visa type is required for general employment purposes, businesses, or start-ups etc.
5. Study visa: This visa type is specifically for students who wish to study in Hong Kong.
6. Residence visa: This visa is for someone who wants to permanently reside in Hong Kong and wishes to have the nationality of Hong Kong.

Requirements Of A Tourist Visa

Visitors should be able to have adequate funds for their visit and for the duration of their stay without working. A valid passport with a validity of 6 months is necessary.

The law of Hong Kong does not allow the visitor, having a visiting visa, to take part in any kind of employment, do any kind of business, or enroll in any educational institution as a student.

Visa Application is required by the nationals of those countries that are not exempted by the Hong Kong government.

Hence, a visa is applied by such nationals at the Hong Kong immigration, embassy, or Chinese consulate. This visa demands proof of passport, travel history, and stable financial means.

How To Obtain A Tourist Visa For Hong Kong

Applicants or Visitors are required to apply for a visa and entry permit at either the Hong Kong immigration department, or Hong Kong embassy, or the Chinese diplomatic and counselor mission but for Indians, it is done at the immigration department directly.

Application through e-mail is not acceptable for now.

Documents Required For A Tourist Visa In Hong Kong

Hong Kong and Chinese nationals with the right to abode can enter Hong Kong without any visa. However, foreign nationals require certain documents for tourist visas or entry permits. These are as follows:

• A visa application form containing appropriate information. 
• Passport with a validity of 6 months at least.
• Passport-sized pictures with white background.
• Applicant should provide proof of stable financial means. This includes bank statements or other financial documents.
• Applicant visiting Hong Kong for business purposes or as a dependent may need a letter of invitation from a company or a resident of Hong Kong respectively.
• Applicant must provide his travel itinerary including travel plans, flight reservations or accommodation bookings.
• Applicant must provide a copy of his medical certificate or health insurance.
• A police clearance certificate from the home country.

• Additional Supporting Documents such as marriage certificates, birth certificates, or academic transcripts are also required depending on the circumstances or situations.

Fee Requirements For A Tourist Visa In Hong Kong

No Visa fee is charged to the visa-exempt nationals and their stay is usually ranging from 14 to 90 days, depending on their nationality. 

Visa fee is charged to the nationals of countries that are not exempted. The fee requirements for Hong Kong visas is as follows:

Tourist visa	USD $230
Transit visa	USD $120
Extension of stay	USD $230

PAR Fee Requirements 

PAR fee depends on how fast the applicant needs the entry grant.

Standard processing fee(2 days)	USD $ 59.99
Urgent processing fee(36 hours)	USD $ 97.99
Super urgent processing fee(24 hours)	USD $ 177.99

Processing Time For Tourist Visa Of Hong Kong

Visa processing time takes usually from 5 working days to 4 or 6 weeks.

Requirements For Hong Kong Pre-Arrival Registration

Pre-arrival registration is a document that is needed by the visitors of countries that are exempted from visas or entry permits. This allows a stay in Hong Kong without a visa for a specified period of time which is usually 14 days. 

Certain documents are required for Hong Kong PAR:

• Passport with 6 months validity.
• A Credit or a debit card, or a PayPal account for payments.

Stay Duration For Tourist Visa Of Hong Kong

Stay duration depends on the nationality of the tourist. It ranges from 7 days to, 14 days to 60 days to 90 days, and for some countries to 180 days. List of countries that are exempted and the ones that require visa can be found on the official website of Hong Kong government.

Macau nationals can stay up to 6 months visa-free. Indians can only stay for up to 14 days visa-free but they need to have Pre-arrival registration.

Extension Of Visa

Tourists can apply for an extension of stay in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong immigration department. However, Hong Kong immigration does not guarantee an extension, and if given it is for a short period of time ranging from 1 month to 90 days only.

Re-entry Permit

Hong Kong mostly provides re-entry permits only to Chinese nationals who are given the right to abode.

The people with unlimited stay in Hong Kong but cannot have a national passport of any country other than Hong Kong only can also apply for re-entry permits.

Single entry permit	Stay of 6 months
Multiple re-entry permit	Stay of 5 years

Single entry permit provides a stay of 6 months for a single journey, while multiple re-entry permit provides 5 years of stay with multiple journeys.

Conclusion

With our guide in hand, you’re all set to explore the wonders of Hong Kong as a tourist. The city’s vibrant culture, stunning landscapes, and bustling streets await your arrival. Get ready to make unforgettable memories in this incredible destination!

Safe travels

But wait, there’s more! You might also be interested in the following:

• Student Visa in Hong Kong: The Ultimate Guide
• Job Seeker Visa for Hong Kong: A Simple Guide
• Permanent Residence in Hongkong: All You Need to Know