Guidelines for Hong Kong visa policy

IMMIGRATION AND VISAS

Passport Requirements according to Hong Kong visa policy:

All travelers except the following require a passport based on Hong Kong visa policy:

1. Travelers with Identity Documents for visa purposes issued by Hong Kong (A Special Administrative Region of China) or a Yellow Passport Type document issued to temporary residents of Hong Kong
2. Travelers with Hong Kong permanent Identity Cards
3. Merchant Seamen traveling on duty provided they have Seaman’s Identity Documents issued by countries that have signed Convention no. 108 of the International Labour Organization. The country’s authorities issued documents of Merchant Seamen are citizens, indicating their nationality and guaranteeing re-entry to this country.
4. Travelers with a Travel permit issued by Macao (A Special Administrative Region of China) and a valid Macao Identity Card issued to Macao residents.
5. Travelers with Hong Kong Merchant Seamen Identity Book or Seafarer’s Employment Registration Book.
6. Travelers with a ‘Laissez-Passer issued by the United Nations provided they are on official United Nations business in Hong Kong.
7. Travelers with a People’s Republic of China Travel Permit.
8. Travelers with documents issued to refugees and people without nationality or citizenship, which must be valid for no less than two months after the intended visit period, provided a valid visa for Hong Kong.
9. Travelers with the following documents issued to residents of Macao (A Special Administrative Region of China):

A Visit Permit for Residents of Macao to Hong Kong; or A Declaration Form for travelers with a Macao Permanent Resident Identity Card to Hong Kong provided it is presented along with a Macao Smart Permanent Identity Card; or A travel permit issued by Macao along with a valid Macao Identity Card.

1. Travelers with a Declaration of Identity issued to residents of Chinese Taipei
2. Travelers with a Singapore Identity Document issued to citizens of Singapore.

Document Validity based on Hong Kong visa policy

1. Passports and alternative travel documents, or either of them, must be valid for at least one month after the period of the intended visit according to Hong Kong visa policy.

a. All accepted documents issued by Hong Kong (A Special Administrative Region of China) must be valid on arrival.

b. Expired British passports endorsed ‘British Dependent Territories Citizen’

or ‘British National (Overseas)’ issued in Hong Kong are accepted if accompanied by a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card.

c. Residents of Hong Kong may enter with travel documents that are valid on arrival.

2. Documents issued to people without nationality or citizenship must be valid for no less than two months after the end of the intended visit.

Additional Information for Hong Kong visa policy

1. Travelers without nationality or citizenship of Chinese origin from Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, or Thailand, who are visiting Hong Kong, need a re-entry permit issued by the country of residence. This permit must be valid for at least six months after the end of their visit to Hong Kong.

2. A Declaration of Identity issued by a diplomatic or consular mission of the People’s Republic of China is needed for travelers with passports or Merchant Seaman documents issued by Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Transkei, or Venda.

3. Travelers with passports issued by Kiribati and endorsed ‘N-Kiribati’ or ‘Investor’ will be denied entry and transit.

Visa Issuance according to Hong Kong visa policy

Before arrival: Travelers are kindly requested to contact the nearest representation of the People’s Republic of China or the Immigration Department of Hong Kong as per Hong Kong visa policy.

Visa Exemptions according to Hong Kong visa policy

All travelers must hold a visa except the following:

1. Travelers with passports issued by Hong Kong (A Special Administrative Region of China).

2. Travelers with British passports endorsed ‘British Citizen staying for no more than six months.

3. Travelers stay for no more than three months provided they are citizens of Tonga not holding passports endorsed ‘Tongan Protected Person’ or ‘Tongan National.’

4. Travelers stay for no more than three months provided they are citizens of Kiribati.

5. Travelers staying for no more than three months provided they are citizens of Tuvalu not holding passports endorsed ‘I-Tuvalu.’

8. Travelers stay for no more than three months provided they are citizens of Uruguay not holding passports issued under decree no. 289/90.

9. Travelers staying for no more than one month provided they are citizens of Bahrain, Bolivia, Cape Verde Islands, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Paraguay, Qatar, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, and the Yemen Republic.

10. Travelers stay for no more than one month provided they are citizens of Peru, excluding travelers with special passports.

11. Travelers stay for no more than one month provided they are citizens of South Africa. However, this does not apply to travel documents issued by Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Transkei, or Venda.

12. Travelers stay for no more than 14 days provided they are citizens of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau Islands.

13. Travelers stay for no more than 14 days provided they have official or diplomatic passports: Angola, Bangladesh, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo (Brazzaville), Ethiopia, Ghana, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, or Togo.

14. Travelers staying for no more than seven days provided Portuguese passports for foreigners and have held a Macao Identity Card for no less than two years and have a return ticket. If these travelers are in transit to Macao, they do not require an onward ticket.

15. Travelers staying for no more than two months provided they have a ‘travel Pass’ issued by Hong Kong to frequent business travelers. This pass is valid for three years and several entries.

16. Travelers with a re-entry permit that is issued in Hong Kong.

17. Citizens of the following countries staying for no more than 14 days if they have an ordinary passport, or official, or diplomatic passport:

Algeria, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, the Republic of Central Africa, Chad, Comoro Islands, Croatia, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guinea, Haiti, India, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Mozambique, Niger, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Suriname, and Vatican City.

18. Foreign residents of Hong Kong with an ‘Identity Document for Visa Purposes’ issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department and endorsed.

19. Travelers with an Identity Document for Visa Purposes issued by Hong Kong (a yellow passport-type document issued to temporary residents of Hong Kong.

20. Foreign residents of Hong Kong with:

  a. Travel documents issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department endorsed ‘Holder’s eligibility for Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card verified’; or

   b. A Permanent Identity Card issued by Hong Kong.

21. Travelers with a Business Travel Card issued by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The back of the card must indicate that it is valid for travel to Hong Kong:

             a. Travelers with A Chinese Taipei APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) must also submit a visit permit issued by Hong Kong to Chinese Taipei residents.

22. Travelers with a ‘Laissez-Passer issued by the United Nations to staff on official United Nations business in Hong Kong.

TWOV (Transit Without Visa) according to Hong Kong visa policy

1. TWOV is permissible for travelers in direct transit provided they have valid documents for their next trip; onward tickets with confirmed reservations; are continuing their trip to a third country within 48 hours, and are not leaving the transit area.

Overnight facilities are not available. Personnel of the coming transporting carrier must meet travelers on arrival to make sure that they stay in the transit area to avoid being presented to the Immigration Authorities;

a. As per Hong Kong visa policy, TWOV does not apply to travelers with ordinary passports provided they are citizens of Angola, Bangladesh, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo (Brazzaville), Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, and Togo;

b. TWOV does not apply to Congo (Kinshasa), Cote d’Ivoire, Eritrea, Iraq, Liberia, Nepal, Sierra Leone, and Somalia.

2. Citizens of Pakistan continue their trip within 12 hours and do not leave the transit area provided they have a valid residence permit or a valid visa for Australia, Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America or any Schengen member country:

a. Returning travelers with a used, single entry visa for the countries mentioned above may TWOV if the traveler is on a direct returning flight.

Personnel of the coming transporting carrier must meet travelers on arrival and accompany them to the onward connecting flight gate to make sure that they stay at the transit area to avoid being presented to the Immigration Authorities.

3. Citizens of the People’s Republic of China are transiting Hong Kong for a maximum stay of seven days provided they are traveling to a third country. A return ticket is not required if the onward trip is headed towards the People’s Republic of China or Macao within seven days.

Additional Information

All travelers must have:

a. Return or onward tickets except when they are in transit to either the People’s Republic of China or Macao as per Hong Kong visa policy.

CUSTOMS AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Import regulations based on Hong Kong visa policy

Free importation:

1. for personal use only, for travelers 18 years or older (Hong Kong Identity Cardholders must have been outside Hong Kong for 24 hours or longer) as per Hong Kong visa policy:

                  a. 19 cigarettes or one cigar (or 25 grams of cigars) or 25 grams of other

     tobacco that has been manufactured;                   

                  b. There are no restrictions on wine and liquor below 30% volume;

                  c. 1 liter of alcoholic beverage over 30 percent vol;

                  d. A moderate amount of other items.

                  e. Passengers in direct transit through Hong Kong: no restriction on the number of goods subject to duty.

                  f. Travelers with Hong Kong Identity Cards must have spent 24 hours or more outside Hong Kong.

2. Goods prohibited without a license include as per Hong Kong visa policy:

      a. plants or their parts, meat, poultry, game, narcotics, psychotropic drugs, firearms, ammunition, fireworks, explosives, counterfeit items, and goods violating copyright;

      b. Species threatened of extinction whether alive or stuffed, such as sea turtles, crocodiles, eagles, hawks, owls, pangolins, monitor lizards; parts and derivatives of such species such as their meat, ivory, fur, skins, leather items, horns;

      c. Antibiotic drugs except with a doctor’s prescription and the quantity are dedicated for personal use;

Warning:

Travelers who do not respect Customs Regulations will be prosecuted and subject to hefty fines and the articles’ confiscation.

N.B.

To get further Information concerning exemptions of import license and application forms for plant import licenses, don’t hesitate to contact the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation located at Canton Road/Government Offices.

Export regulations based on Hong Kong visa policy

1. Travelers are allowed to export moderate amounts of alcoholic drinks and tobacco products as per Hong Kong visa policy.

2. Drugs are prohibited.

3. Goods prohibited without a license include:

        a. plants or their parts, meat, poultry, game, narcotics, psychotropic drugs, firearms, 

             ammunition, fireworks, explosives, counterfeit items, and goods violating copyright;

        b. Species threatened of extinction whether alive or stuffed, such as sea turtles, crocodiles, eagles, hawks, owls, pangolins, monitor lizards; parts and derivatives of such species such as their meat, ivory, fur, skins, leather items, horns;

        c. Plants threatened with extinction, such as cactus, all species of gerbera American ginseng except cultivated species.

Pets

1. A special permit, import permit, or quarantine permit is required for all animals and birds, including dogs & cats, before arrival in Hong Kong as per Hong Kong visa policy. Pets must be shipped as cargo that is covered by an airway bill. The owner of dogs and cats must:

a. submit a copy of the import permit issued by the Veterinary Officer of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong to the Quarantine Officer at the time of examination at the airport:

b. Provide a health certificate for the animal signed by an official Government Veterinarian of the home country, dated no more than 14 days before the date of departure;

c. Take the animal, securely placed, in the Quarantine Officer company either to an approved quarantine shelter directly after arrival and until the date of departure; or directly to a departing ship, plane, or train.

2. Warning

Transporting carriers may be required to re-export any animal apart from its species if imported without an import permit. Travelers not abiding by the rules may be prosecuted. A permit is not needed in direct transit by the same plane, and animals, including birds, can be transported as luggage. If transport is included, a change of plane is needed in Hong Kong, a transit permit is required, and the animal must be shipped as manifested cargo. If pets belong to endangered species, they must be accompanied by a license, permit, certificate, or other acceptable documents for export issued by the exporting country’s concerned authority.

The Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department located at 393 Canton Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, must be informed at least three working days before the animal’s arrival in Hong Kong.

Baggage Clearance regulations according to Hong Kong visa policy

Traveler luggage should be cleared at the airport of Hong Kong. Crew members on duty should clear their luggage at a separate crew channel.

Exemption:

Luggage of transit travelers can be labeled to the final destination provided the next flight is within 24 hours as per Hong Kong visa policy.

Airport tax according to Hong Kong visa policy

All passengers cannot pay any airport tax based on the Hong Kong visa policy when leaving the airport. From airport tax to be paid on exit to pet imports, also restrictions on how much currency you can carry in and out of a region.

Currency Import regulations as per Hong Kong visa policy

There are no restrictions on importing local currency (Hong Kong Dollar-HKD) or foreign currencies.

Currency Export regulations as per Hong Kong visa policy

There are no restrictions on exporting local currency (Hong Kong Dollar-HKD) or foreign currencies.

Additional Information on regulations based on Hong Kong visa policy

1. To bring in dogs and cats, travelers must obtain an import permit before the animal arrives in Hong Kong as per Hong Kong visa policy. They must submit a complete description of the animal, including species, breed, age, sex, color, and the like, along with the name and address of the owner or the agent in the home country and Hong Kong, in addition to the expected date of arrival, and the means of transportation.

2. Quarantine: Cats and dogs will be kept in quarantine for no more than six months. However, the quarantine period may be cut shorter according to the home country and provided the pets are accompanied by:

         a. A certificate signed by the concerned authority of the exporting country stating that the animal has been in a rabies-free area in the home country during the previous six months; and

         b. A health certificate signed by an official veterinary officer of the home country including a full vaccination record; and

          c. A certificate from the Captain of the transporting ship or plane that the animal generally behaved during the journey to Hong Kong.

Quarantine Period:

          d. No quarantine period is required if the pet is directly coming from Australia, Fiji, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America (only from the Hawaiian Islands);

          e. Dogs and cats may be exempted from the quarantine period if they are aged more than five months old on arrival; have met the requirements stated in the permit; and if they are directly coming from Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Brunei, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Guam, Hawaii, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon, Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States of America, Vanuatu, or Virgin Islands;

            f. Dogs and cats aged four months old and directly coming from all other countries except those listed in the two items mentioned above must be covered by a valid quarantine permit issued before arrival;

Arms and Ammunition regulations as per Hong Kong visa policy

All arms and ammunition, including imitation and replica, require an import license or obtaining the permit before arrival. This rule applies to travelers entering and transiting Hong Kong. Travelers who do not abide by the Hong Kong visa policy rules may be prosecuted. All deadly weapons are prohibited.