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” I Want to Bring My Girlfriend to Hong Kong”. This is a common challenge for people in serious, yet relatively new  relationships. The Hong Kong visa options are few and far between. You absolutely have to make sure that you stay on the right side of the law on this one. It’s all too easy to fall into the trap of the crap advice offered on the public forums…

QUESTION

“I am Canadian & have just got my working visa for HK but my girlfriend is Thai & lives in Malaysia.  We want her to be able to come & stay with me but have been getting lots of contradictory advice so far.  I have been here for 3 months on a tourist visa while sorting out employment & my visa.  She has been over a couple of times for her 30 day allowance but last time was taken to the office at immigration & asked lots of questions.  They let her through but I now know there is a limit to how often can do this.  I am looking for some advice & help as to the best option so she can move here with me & hope you can help in some way.  She doesn’t have any work experience so a work visa is out of the question.  I have been trying to find out about study visas to see if she can do an English course as she needs to improve & have even been suggested FDH visa. 

I would be grateful for any advice & service to help us in our situation.”

ANSWER

If you were cohabiting prior to your arrival in Hong Kong you could apply for a Prolonged Visitor Visa. Check out the Hong Kong Visa Handbook on the section re defacto spouse’s here.

Otherwise she needs to have a visa rationale for remaining here independent of her relationship with you.

I  would urge you strongly to resist the temptation to try to bring her into Hong Kong as your Foreign Domestic Helper as you would be making false representations to ImmD with serious penalties for both of you (prison).

As for studying English, it all depends on the course and the institute which teaches it. For any kind of meaningful period of stay you’d be looking at degree or at least tertiary institute studies at Diploma level. But in the final analysis this would only be a temporary solution.

Please do not get married for visa purposes either!

Your options are a bit thin on the ground I’m afraid.

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