VISA ASSISTANCE

Make your VISA arrangements for entry into the Hong Kong early.
Such arrangements are the responsibility of attendees and other participants and may take up to a few months.
Nationals of Visa Waiver Program countries will still be eligible to travel without a visa, but will have to obtain an approved travel authorization prior to their travel to the Hong Kong.
The actual approval form and additional information may be found at http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_visit.htm

 
     
 

Visit Visa / Entry Permit Requirements for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

 
     
 

*

General

*

Part I

*

Part II

 
     
  General  
     
 

This chapter sets out the visa or entry permit requirements of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)of the People's Republic of China. It cannot be taken as a full statement of the law governing immigration.

Even where all immigration requirements set out in this chapter are met, travellers should not assume that they can gain automatic entry. The HKSAR immigration authorities have the right to refuse any person permission to land except those in Part I of this chapter.
If you need advice on individual cases, please address your enquiries to :

  1. any Chinese diplomatic and consular mission; or
  2. the Immigration Department.

1.    If you have a close connection with the HKSAR by birth or long period of residence in the Region, you may not require a visa or entry permit. Please read Part I of this chapter.

2.    If Part I does not apply to you, you will need a visa or entry permit to work, study, establish or join in any business or to take up residence in the HKSAR. However, you may not need a visa or entry permit for visit, depending on your nationality / type of travel document you hold. Please read Part II of this chapter.
 
     
              
     
  PART I  
     
 

3.    No visa or entry permit is required for any purpose if you hold any of the following travel documents:

  • Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport,
  • British National (Overseas) Passport,
  • Hong Kong Certificate of Identity,
  • Hong Kong Re-entry permit (for entry from the Mainland of China and the region of Macao only),
  • Hong Kong Seaman's Identity Book,
  • Hong Kong Document of Identity for Visa Purposes provided that the document is valid or the holder's limit of stay in Hong Kong has not expired.
  • Travel documents bearing one of the following endorsements: "Holder's eligibility for Hong Kong permanent identity card verified."
    "The holder of this travel document has the right to land in Hong Kong. (Section 2AAA, Immigration Ordinance, Cap. 115, Laws of Hong Kong)"
  • Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card.
 
     
             
     
  PART II  
     
 

4.    Unless Part I applies to you, you require a visa or entry permit to work, study, establish or join in any business or to take up residence in the HKSAR. Otherwise, you are taking the risk of being refused admission on arrival.

5.    Visitors are required to have adequate funds to cover the duration of their stay without working and, unless in transit to the Mainland of China or the region of Macau, to hold onward or return tickets. If you want to stay longer than the visa free period allowed, you must apply for a visa or entry permit before travelling to the HKSAR.

6.    Visitors are not allowed by law to take up employment (paid or unpaid), to establish or join in any business, or to enter school as a student, nor, except in the most unusual circumstances, are visitors allowed to change their immigration status after arrival.

7.    You may apply for the appropriate visa or entry permit from the nearest Chinese diplomatic and consular mission.

8.    As an alternative, you may also submit your visa or entry permit application to the HKSAR Immigration Department either directly by post or through a local sponsor. To shorten processing time, application forms and supporting documents can be sent by fax to (852) 2824 1133 in the first instance. However, the original copy of the duly completed application form and the photographs required should be sent immediately to the HKSAR Immigration Department by air mail. A visa/entry permit will be issued only on receipt of an original, properly completed visa/entry permit application form.

9.    If you are a Chinese resident in the region of Taiwan, you should submit your application for an entry permit through one of the authorised airlines.

10.    There are separate information leaflets regarding the arrangements for entry in respect of residents of the Mainland of China (ID894A) and for overseas Chinese and Chinese residents in Taiwan (ID895A). You can also obtain information for entry to Hong Kong from Mainland China here. Information of arrangements for entry to Hong Kong SAR for overseas Chinese and Chinese residents of Taiwan can be obtained here.

11.    Persons who need a visa or entry permit for visit (or purposes other than a visit) should obtain the appropriate visa or entry permit before travelling to the HKSAR.

 
             
  12.   HKSAR visa requirements for the following foreign countries / territories:  
     
 

Nationality of foreign country (Territory)/ Type of Travel Document

Visa free period for visit not exceeding

Always require VISA, except in direct transit by air and when the person does not leave the airport transit area

AFGHANISTAN

-

Visa Required

ALBANIA

-

Visa Required

ALGERIA

14 Days

-

ANDORRA

90 Days

-

ANGOLA (please see remarks)

-

Visa Required^

ANGOLA Diplomatic/Official Passport

14 Days

-

ANGUILLA

90 Days

-

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

90 Days

-

ARGENTINA

90 Days

-

ARMENIA

-

Visa Required

AUSTRALIA

90 Days

-

AUSTRIA

90 Days

-

AZERBAIJAN

-

Visa Required

BAHAMAS

90 Days

-

BAHRAIN

30 Days

-

BANGLADESH

-

Visa Required^

BANGLADESH Diplomatic/Official Passport

14 Days

-

BARBADOS

90 Days

-

BELARUS

-

Visa Required

BELGIUM

90 Days

-

BELIZE

90 Days

-

BENIN

14 Days

-

BERMUDA

90 Days

-

BHUTAN

14 Days

-

BOLIVIA

30 Days

-

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

14 Days

-

BOTSWANA

90 Days

-

BRAZIL

90 Days

-

BRITAIN (British citizens)

180 Days

-

BRITAIN (British Overseas Territories citizens, British Overseas citizens, British subjects and British Protected persons)

90 Days

-

BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY

90 Days

-

BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY

90 Days

-

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

90 Days

-

BRUNEI

90 Days

-

BULGARIA

90 Days

-

BURKINA FASO

14 Days

-

BURUNDI (please see remarks)

-

Visa Required^

BURUNDI Diplomatic/Official Passport

14 Days

-

CAMBODIA

-

Visa Required

CAMEROON (please see remarks)

-

Visa Required^

CAMEROON Diplomatic/Official Passport

14 Days

-

CANADA

90 Days

-

CAPE VERDE (REPUBLIC OF)

30 Days

-

CAYMAN ISLANDS

90 Days

-

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

14 Days

-

CHAD

14 Days

-

CHILE

90 Days

-

COLOMBIA

90 Days

-

COMOROS

14 Days

-

CONGO (DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF) (Formerly known as Zaire)

-

Visa Required*

CONGO (REPUBLIC OF)

-

Visa Required^

CONGO (REPUBLIC OF) Diplomatic/Official Passport

14 Days

-

COSTA RICA

30 Days

-

Costa Rican Provisional passports

-

Visa Required

"Documento de Identidad Y Viaje" issued by Costa Rican Government

-

Visa Required

COTE D'IVOIRE (REPUBLIC OF)

-

Visa Required*

CROATIA

14 Days

-

CUBA

-

Visa Required

CYPRUS (REPUBLIC OF)

90 Days

-

CZECH REPUBLIC

90 Days

-

DENMARK

90 Days

-

DJIBOUTI

14 Days

-

DOMINICA (COMMONWEALTH OF)

90 Days

-

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

30 Days

-

ECUADOR

90 Days

-

EGYPT

90 Days

-

EL SALVADOR

30 Days

-

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

14 Days

-

ERITREA (please see remarks)

Visa Required*

ESTONIA

90 Days

-

ETHIOPIA

-

Visa Required^

ETHIOPIA Diplomatic/ Official Passport

14 Days

-

FALKLAND ISLANDS & DEPENDENCIES

90 Days

-

FAROE ISLANDS

90 Days

-

FIJI

90 Days

-

FINLAND

90 Days

-

FRANCE

90 Days

-

GABON

14 Days

-

GAMBIA

90 Days

-

GEORGIA

-

Visa Required

GERMANY

90 Days

-

GHANA

-

Visa Required^

GHANA Diplomatic/Official Passport

14 Days

-

GIBRALTAR

90 Days

-

GREECE

90 Days

-

GREENLAND

90 Days

-

GRENADA

-

Visa Required

GUATEMALA

30 Days

-

GUINEA

14 Days

-

GUINEA-BISSAU

14 Days

-

GUYANA

90 Days

-

HAITI

14 Days

-

HONDURAS

30 Days

-

HUNGARY

90 Days

-

ICELAND

90 Days

-

INDIA

14 Days

-

INDONESIA

30 Days

-

IRAN

-

Visa Required

IRAQ (please see remarks)

-

Visa Required*

IRELAND (REPUBLIC OF)

90 Days

-

ISRAEL

90 Days

-

ITALY

90 Days

-

JAMAICA

90 Days

-

JAPAN

90 Days

-

JORDAN

30 Days

-

KHAZAKSTAN

-

Visa Required

KENYA

90 Days

-

KIRIBATI

90 Days

-

KOREA (DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF)

-

Visa Required

KOREA (REPUBLIC OF)

90 Days

-

KUWAIT

30 Days

-

KYRGYSTAN

-

Visa Required

LAOS

-

Visa Required

LATVIA

90 Days

-

LEBANON

-

Visa Required

LESOTHO

14 Days

-

LIBERIA (please see remarks)

-

Visa Required*

LIBYA

-

Visa Required

LIECHTENSTEIN

90 Days

-

LITHUANIA

90 Days

-

LUXEMBOURG

90 Days

-

MACEDONIA

14 Days

-

MADAGASCAR

14 Days

-

MALAWI

90 Days

-

MALAYSIA

90 Days

-

MALDIVES

90 Days

-

MALI

14 Days

-

MALTA

90 Days

-

MARSHALL ISLANDS (REPUBLIC OF)

14 Days

-

MAURITANIA

14 Days

-

MAURITIUS

90 Days

-

MEXICO

90 Days

-

MICRONESIA (FEDERATED STATES OF)

14 Days

-

MOLDOVA (REPUBLIC OF)

-

Visa Required

MONACO

90 Days

-

MONGOLIA

14 Days

-

MONTENEGRO ( REPUBLIC OF )

-

Visa Required

MONTSERRAT

90 Days

-

MOROCCO

30 Days

-

MOZAMBIQUE

14 Days

-

MYANMAR

-

Visa Required

NAMIBIA

90 Days

-

NAURU

90 Days

-

NEPAL

-

Visa Required*

NETHERLANDS

90 Days

-

NEW ZEALAND

90 Days

-

NICARAGUA

-

Visa Required

NIGER

14 Days

-

NIGERIA

-

Visa Required

NORWAY

90 Days

-

OMAN

30 Days

-

PAKISTAN (please see remarks)

-

Visa Required^

PAKISTAN Diplomatic/Official Passport

14 Days

-

PALAU

14 Days

-

PALESTINE (STATES OF)

-

Visa Required

PANAMA

-

Visa Required

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

90 Days

-

PARAGUAY

30 Days

-

PERU

30 Days

-

Special Peruvian passports

-

Visa Required

PHILIPPINES

14 Days

-

PITCAIRN, HENDERSON, DUCIE & OENO ISLANDS

90 Days

-

POLAND

90 Days

-

PORTUGAL

90 Days

-

QATAR

30 Days

-

ROMANIA

90 Days

-

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

-

Visa Required

RWANDA

14 Days

-

SAMOA (WESTERN)

30 Days

-

SAN MARINO

90 Days

-

SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE

14 Days

-

SAUDI ARABIA

30 Days

-

SERBIA (Republic of)

-

Visa Required

SENEGAL

-

Visa Required

SEYCHELLES

90 Days

-

SIERRA LEONE (please see remarks)

-

Visa Required*

SINGAPORE

90 Days

-

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

90 Days

-

SLOVENIA

90 Days

-

SOLOMON ISLANDS

-

Visa Required

SOMALIA

-

Visa Required*

SOUTH AFRICA

30 Days

-

SPAIN

90 Days

-

SRI LANKA

-

Visa Required^

SRI LANKA DIPLOMATIC/OFFICIAL PASSPORT

14 Days

-

ST. HELENA

90 Days

-

ST. HELENA DEPENDENCIES (ASCENSION, TRISTAN DA CUNHA)

90 Days

-

ST. KITTS - NEVIS ANGUILLA

90 Days

-

ST. LUCIA

90 Days

-

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

90 Days

-

SUDAN

-

Visa Required

SURINAME

14 Days

-

SWAZILAND

90 Days

-

SWEDEN

90 Days

-

SWITZERLAND

90 Days

-

SYRIA

-

Visa Required

TAJIKISTAN

-

Visa Required

TANZANIA

90 Days

-

THAILAND

30 Days

-

THE SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS

90 Days

-

THE SOVEREIGN BASE AREAS OF AKROTIRI AND DHEKELIA

90 Days

-

TOGO

-

Visa Required^

TOGO Diplomatic/Official Passport

14 Days

-

TONGA

90 Days

-

Tongan National passports

-

Visa Required

Tongan Protected Persons passports

-

Visa Required

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

90 Days

-

TUNISIA

30 Days

-

TURKEY

90 Days

-

TURKMENISTAN

-

Visa Required

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

90 Days

-

TUVALU

90 Days

-

TUVALU (with national status stated as 'I-TUVALU')

-

Visa Required

UGANDA

30 Days

-

UKRAINE

-

Visa Required

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

30 Days

-

URUGUAY

90 Days

-

Uruguay passports issued under Decree 289/90

-

Visa Required

U.S.A.

90 Days

-

US TRUST TERRITORY OF PACIFIC ISLANDS (holders of US Trust Territory passports only)

14 Days

-

UZBEKISTAN

-

Visa Required

VANUATU

90 Days

-

VATICAN CITY

14 Days

-

Vatican Service passports

-

Visa Required

VENEZUELA

90 Days

-

VIETNAM

-

Visa Required

YEMEN (REPUBLIC OF)

30 Days

-

ZAMBIA

90 Days

-

ZIMBABWE

90 Days

-

All 'stateless' travel document holders

-

Visa Required

Nationals of other foreign countries do not require visas for a visit

7 Days

-

 
     
            
     
 

Remarks :
* All nationals are required to hold a valid visa for the HKSAR for whatever purpose (including those who are in transit and remain on the airside).
* All nationals (except holders of Diplomatic and Official passports) are required to hold a valid visa for the HKSAR for whatever purpose (including those who are in transit and remain on the airside).

13.    The information in this chapter on visa or entry permit requirements for visitors to the HKSAR is updated in February 2008. There may be subsequent changes.


How To Obtain a Visa

Complete information on how to apply for a VISA to enter the Hong Kong can be found on the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Immigration Department ¡®s website http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_visit.htm

For Authors

Authors can obtain visa letters through EDAS.
When you log onto your personal home page & into your paper you submitted there will be a letter shaped icon(visa letter).
Once you click on it, a PDF of the visa letter is generated. If you need further assistance regarding your visa letter, please contact Prof. Sanghwan Lee directly sanghwan@kookmin.ac.kr