Browse Our Most Recent Content (& Beyond)

Can I Use An Online Marriage Certificate to Get A Hong Kong Dependant Visa? Broken hearts be what they are. This sort of enforced separation from your loved ones in Hong Kong has meant that the Immigration Department in recent times have had to consider applications for dependent visas from people who have been married […] Keep Reading...>

January 18th, 2022

First Published: December 8, 2013 This case study details a Hong Kong Right of Abode application where our client had, due to ill health, unexpectedly spent more than two years away from Hong Kong during the 7 years of continuous ordinary residence needed to lawfully establish permanent residency in the HKSAR. More Stuff You May […] Keep Reading...>

January 15th, 2022

Can I Extend The 3 Years Needed To Keep My Right of Abode in Hong Kong? Probably three or four times a week, I’m getting the same email these days. Those emails are coming from permanent residents of Hong Kong who have been absent or are coming up for being absent from Hong Kong  continuously […] Keep Reading...>

January 12th, 2022

What will ImmD make of an application to sponsor a dependant visa by a Hong Kong employment visa holding foreign national who doesn’t presently have a job here? QUESTION I am in between jobs (currently on an employment visa in Hong Kong) and plan to get married soon (outside HK). I would like to arrange […] Keep Reading...>

January 10th, 2022

Any chance of an employment visa to teach English in Hong Kong if you don’t have a degree? QUESTION I’m hoping to move to Hong Kong to teach English and find employment with an employer who will grant me a work visa. I’m a British, recently turned 30. I have studied 2 years Higher Education […] Keep Reading...>

January 8th, 2022

One of the really great things about the subject of Hong Kong immigration is that there is never any shortage of things to blog about and share. Every day in our professional practice, we undertake cases which provide ongoing, often entirely new, insights into how the Hong Kong Immigration Department are implementing policy and which […] Keep Reading...>

January 6th, 2022

Is there are truth at all in this Hong Kong employment visa “proposition”? QUESTION I am a French national who has just moved to Hong Kong. I am finding it very difficult to understand the visa process in Hong Kong. My friend passed me your contact saying that you will surely be able to help […] Keep Reading...>

January 4th, 2022

How do you go about demonstrating to the Hong Kong Immigration Department that your relationship is a genuine one as you apply for a Hong Kong dependant visa? QUESTION I have a question about the interplay between marriage and subsequently obtaining a Hong Kong dependant visa. Our situation is as follows: I am professional with […] Keep Reading...>

January 2nd, 2022

First Published June 29, 2015 What can you do to extend your family’s dependant visa when your job is coming to an end… QUESTION I currently have a Hong Kong dependent visa, my husband being my sponsor.  Both our visas run out on the 30th July 2015.  My husband has resigned from his post and we […] Keep Reading...>

December 31st, 2021

Change my Hong Kong visa? This question is less either / or from an immigration perspective but more an issue of full time entrepreneur or not… QUESTION Hi Stephen, I am currently already on an employment visa (valid for two more years) and would like to start my own company too. My current employer is […] Keep Reading...>

December 29th, 2021

Hong Kong Immigration Department Start e-Visa Arrangement  (implemented with effect from 28 December 2021) PREPARATIONS FOR NEW E-VISA SYSTEM ImmD are NOT widely replacing offline case management protocols with Online e-Visa protocols for the foreseeable future This system applies for the next few months only to ASSG, Foreign Domestic Helpers and IANG (entry visas) and […] Keep Reading...>

December 28th, 2021

Never has this question has been posed in this way previously so I am grateful to receive it… QUESTION Great website! I hope this reaches you well. I’m writing on behalf of my partner, who has been in Hong Kong for over 6 years. He’s coming up to his 7th year of continuous residency, and […] Keep Reading...>

December 27th, 2021

Interesting scenario this one… QUESTION I have been continuously employed here for almost 7 years and will be eligible to apply for PR in Hong Kong this Sept. If I leave my current job and start working for a different company outside of Hong Kong, is there any way I can still be eligible for […] Keep Reading...>

December 23rd, 2021

First Published On May 7, 2015 Kids grow up quickly so what happens to a Hong Kong dependant visa holder when she reaches the age of 18? QUESTION Hi, There are two parts to my question: I’m here on a Hong Kong work visa and have been here for 15 months now. My daughter will be turning […] Keep Reading...>

December 21st, 2021

First Published On July 17, 2013 Children born in Hong Kong to a Hong Kong permanent resident have their eligibility for permanent identity cards established at birth. But what if the child is born to a Hong Kong permanent resident not married to its mother and where the child was born outside of Hong Kong? […] Keep Reading...>

December 19th, 2021

So, you sense there’s an opportunity to augment your salary with some freelance work so how do you go about making an application to join in a side business in Hong Kong? QUESTION Dear Visa Geeza, I have listened to your podcasts regarding sole proprietorship and followed the information given. Background information – I am currently […] Keep Reading...>

December 17th, 2021

How do you handle the conundrum of keeping your old job whilst seeking permission of ImmD in regard to  your Hong Kong work visa change of sponsorship? QUESTION I hope you’re doing well. Do I have to terminate my current job if my future employer is applying for my Hong Kong work visa change of […] Keep Reading...>

December 15th, 2021

Hate your job and seeking a change? How is your Hong Kong work visa affected if it will be expiring soon? QUESTION I am working for a company and I really have had enough and want to change jobs. The reasoning being is the work I signed up for is not the job I am […] Keep Reading...>

December 13th, 2021

This is quite an unusual set of facts and provides a great opportunity to clear up one small, yet key, part of the Hong Kong employment visa applications process. QUESTION “We are from Canada. Recently my boyfriend and I were offered a job teaching English with a company in Hong Kong. We gave them the […] Keep Reading...>

December 11th, 2021

First Published December 21, 2015 What happens to your  Hong Kong work visa when you have been made redundant but you still have time left on your current limit of stay? QUESTION Hi there, I am residing here on a Hong Kong work visa, employed as a professional in the financial services industry. My role […] Keep Reading...>

December 9th, 2021

First Published October 2, 2019 What is the law about visitors working in Hong Kong as freelancers but not engaging in the local economy? QUESTION Hi Stephen, I’ve lived in Hong Kong for 2 years and now I’m freelancing and getting all of my income from overseas. I wish to stay in HK, so am […] Keep Reading...>

December 7th, 2021

First Published November 17, 2014 Any chance the Immigration Department will grant you an interim Hong Kong employment visa extension in these circumstances? QUESTION I am an Australian  national living in Hong Kong under an employment visa since December 2010, all sponsored by the same company. This has been an Australian company with a representative office in […] Keep Reading...>

December 4th, 2021

First Published September 30, 2018 What is the law about visitors working in Hong Kong as freelancers but not engaging in the local economy? QUESTION Hi Stephen, I’ve lived in Hong Kong for 2 years and now I’m freelancing and getting all of my income from overseas. I wish to stay in HK, so am […] Keep Reading...>

December 1st, 2021

I just love the easy Hong Kong immigration questions – gives me a break from thinking too hard! QUESTION Hi there! I’m Australian and I have an approved Working Holiday Visa, but am wondering if I can work full-time (albeit for a max of 3 months per employer), or whether only part-time hours are allowed? […] Keep Reading...>

November 28th, 2021

How to skin the cat of the ‘missing tenancy agreement’ is an oft-faced challenge in the game of the Hong Kong Right of Abode Application after 7 years continuous ordinary residence by a foreign national intending permanent resident. QUESTION What happens if I am unable to provide copies of my tenancy agreements in support of […] Keep Reading...>

November 26th, 2021

Simple question this one with an easy answer and indicative of the fact that, even though quite a straight forward issue, the information is not otherwise readily available anywhere else on the web. QUESTION I am a Canadian citizen, working in Hong Kong holding an employment visa for 7 weeks. I want to stay after […] Keep Reading...>

November 24th, 2021

This question gets to the heart of permitted activity as a Visitor and the ability to remain here on an indefinite basis on that status. QUESTION Hi, I am a New Zealander currently staying in Hong Kong with my partner who is a permanent HKID card holder. I do not have a HKID card, just […] Keep Reading...>

November 23rd, 2021

How long should a Hong Kong Employment Visa Application take to finalize – especially in light of the 4 weeks cited on the Hong Kong Immigration Department website? QUESTION My working visa application is now almost into its 7th week (49 days and counting). There were documents that immigration requested from my sponsor which may have delayed […] Keep Reading...>

November 21st, 2021

QUESTION I’m a Chinese National and now working in HK on IANG Visa.  I have been living in Hong Kong continuously for 6 years (I came here in August 2013, then 1 year study and 5 year work).  My current IANG visa is valid until July 2022 (all visas are back to back).  Theoretically I […] Keep Reading...>

November 19th, 2021

Whilst the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates afford a clean pathway to working permission for foreign nationals freshly graduating from Hong Kong universities, the situation is very different if your degree is from overseas and you’re seeking to work in the HKSAR straight after university. QUESTION Hi Stephen, I would like to ask, I’m a […] Keep Reading...>

November 17th, 2021

ImmD expect to be able to take a view of a proposed new from 39,000 feet and for this a good set of financial projections are expected to form part of a business investment visa application. QUESTION Does the Immigration Department look for forecasts for profitability and actually estimates of employee hiring? I have written […] Keep Reading...>

November 15th, 2021

Should you be worried that your employment visa status in Hong Kong might be undermined if you choose to leave the employ of an unsavoury employer? QUESTION Hello, my current employer and visa sponsor is a small business, and my working conditions are intolerable – twice the amount of hours than stated on the contract, […] Keep Reading...>

November 13th, 2021

First Published On December 9, 2013 It happens a lot more often that you might imagine – inadvertent loss of ‘ordinary residence‘ setting back your application for permanent residence here in Hong Kong. QUESTION My wife and I came to Hong Kong to work in 2006. However she went to business school in Europe in […] Keep Reading...>

November 11th, 2021

To live in Hong Kong requires a place to lay your head here each night. What happens to your application for dependant visas for your family if you don’t have anywhere for them to live? QUESTION I have held a Hong Kong employment visa for the last 3 years.  But most of the time I […] Keep Reading...>

November 9th, 2021

The test for the right of abode for foreign national children resident in Hong Kong for 7 years is the same as for adults but the manifestation of that PR takes a slightly different form… QUESTION I’ve heard that our children can independently hold permanent residency once they turn 7.  Is this correct and if […] Keep Reading...>

November 7th, 2021

If you’re claiming skills, knowledge or experience on your CV as part of your argument for a Hong Kong Employment Visa Application – what’s the gig if you can’t fully  support your claims with references or testimonials? QUESTION Hi, I am 8 weeks into applying for an employment visa (I’m British). I have given the documents […] Keep Reading...>

November 5th, 2021

First Published April 10, 2014 Can you be both settled in Hong Kong, have taken the HKSAR as your only place of residence, yet go and work overseas all at the same time? QUESTION Thank you so much for your wonderfully informative website. I have a question about the timing of starting a new job […] Keep Reading...>

November 3rd, 2021

Why should age get in the way of family reunion? QUESTION My 91 year old father needs to come to live with me in Hong Kong because he has no one to look after him in the UK where he lives. He has UK and Australian passports. I have a flat I own in Hong […] Keep Reading...>

November 1st, 2021

First Published October 4, 2014 Got 2 very similar questions in yesterday so I’m taking the opportunity to kill 2 birds with one stone… QUESTIONS I have a residency visa and this is my 6th year in Hong Kong. I need to go back to my country due to some medical urgency. What amount of […] Keep Reading...>

October 29th, 2021

The answer to this question is multi-part and ultimately driven by the challenges associated with a New Business Situation… QUESTION I am based in Hong Kong and would like your advice on visa applications for a friend.   A friend of mine, who is based in the US and I have been discussing a business opportunity for Hong Kong and […] Keep Reading...>

October 27th, 2021

First Published January 4, 2020 Employment visa grant? What do the Hong Kong Immigration Department take into account exactly when considering an application for an employment visa where the applicant has recently divorced from a Hong Kong resident? QUESTION I have been in Hong Kong for two years and have recently divorced.  I have care […] Keep Reading...>

October 23rd, 2021

Last week I gave a short presentation – Hong Kong Visas Overview in 20 Minutes with the Hong Kong Association of New York and its affiliates. I was one of three presenters, the other jurisdictions being Canada and the USA. Full Webinar, Presentation Canada, Presentation USA Full Transcript Below More Stuff You May Find Useful or Interesting […] Keep Reading...>

October 20th, 2021

How to skin the cat of the ‘missing tenancy agreement’ is an oft-faced challenge in the game of the Hong Kong Right of Abode Application after 7 years continuous ordinary residence by a foreign national intending permanent resident.  QUESTION What happens if I am unable to provide copies of my tenancy agreements in support of […] Keep Reading...>

October 12th, 2021

First Published October 29, 2014 Does being married to a Hong Kong permanent resident whilst living in China impact on continuity of ordinary residence for the purposes of a right of abode application subsequently? QUESTION Hi, Your website is incredibly helpful! However, my situation doesn’t seem to have an answer yet, so here goes! I’m […] Keep Reading...>

October 7th, 2021

First Published July 7, 2019 Can I Come & Install Equipment in Hong Kong Without an Employment Visa.? Permitted activity under the Visitor visa category seems to be something of a grey area and in the final analysis it all boils down to the attitude of the Immigration Department for a breach of conditions of […] Keep Reading...>

October 3rd, 2021

Black boxes and taxes – an unheady mix! QUESTION Hi Stephen, A friend of mine is looking into the idea of residing in Hong Kong. He’s a soon to be traditionally published book author in the United States, and he’s based in another country. Well, assuming his work becomes a financial hit and reasonably well […] Keep Reading...>

October 1st, 2021

Any possibility for love to continue in the wake of a terminated FDH contract? QUESTION My girl friend is a Filipino domestic helper who has just left her employment with a Chinese family – however, she wants to stay in Hong Kong with me. Can you advise me on how this might be achieved? ANSWER […] Keep Reading...>

September 29th, 2021

Are tenancy agreement copies absolutely vital for a successful Hong Kong right of abode application? QUESTION For my Hong Kong PR application, what happens if I am unable to provide copies of my tenancy agreements?  I never thought I would still be here for 7 years so I every 2 years I get rid of […] Keep Reading...>

September 27th, 2021

To live in Hong Kong requires a place to lay your head here each night. What happens to your application for dependant visas for your family if you don’t have anywhere for them to live? QUESTION I have held a Hong Kong employment visa for the last 3 years.  But most of the time I […] Keep Reading...>

September 25th, 2021

First Published February 7, 2019 Accidentally overstay your Hong Kong employment visa?- What happens to you when  seek to change your employment visa sponsor but realise you have accidentally let your current visa expire without seeking an extension of stay? QUESTION Hi Stephen, I ended my employment in Hong Kong at the beginning of January. […] Keep Reading...>

September 23rd, 2021

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