Browse Our Most Recent Content (& Beyond)

Hong Kong immigration is rife with visa gossip and rumours so I am pleased this question has been raised as it allows me to slay an old dragon once and for all!   QUESTION Hi Stephen, Thanks ever so much for your amazing website. I have never seen anything like this before – and I can’t […] Keep Reading...>

July 30th, 2021

First Published November 29, 2012 An excellent question on the Right of Abode came in just now. Raises a really interesting point of professional practice the likes of which very rarely present themselves these days. QUESTION I have recently been declined Permanent Residency status from HK Immigration, but believe I have grounds to appeal, and […] Keep Reading...>

July 28th, 2021

What a great question – never been asked this before! QUESTION I have been resident in Hong Kong for 5 and a half years on a working visa. I lost my job over 6 months ago and thought that I had no option but to leave. I obtained the MPF refund in May and signed […] Keep Reading...>

July 26th, 2021

Not every stint for work or business means full time residency in Hong Kong so what to do about ‘half-timers’? QUESTION I am pursuing options to take up employment in Hong Kong and would like to know if there is any residence requirement for retention of a work visa. For example, how long can one […] Keep Reading...>

July 24th, 2021

First Published June 20, 2013 This question raises its head in many different guises but this is the first time that anyone has asked it in such a pointed way in the context of training visas – so I’m pleased to be able to shed some light! QUESTION Hi, Great that you provide this service! […] Keep Reading...>

July 22nd, 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...>

July 20th, 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...>

July 18th, 2021

First Published June 4, 2103 Do you need to be employed on the date that your 7 year anniversary of your residence in Hong Kong comes up which then allows you apply for the right of abode with the wrinkle that your current employment visa expires on exactly the same date? QUESTION I started working […] Keep Reading...>

July 16th, 2021

Excellent question earlier this week. Great opportunity to slay a few sacred cows. QUESTION Hi, one of the requirements for the work visa application is a proof of genuine vacancy. What if a sponsoring company doesn’t do job ads? What can he present? He does recruit locally via his network since he is just a […] Keep Reading...>

July 14th, 2021

This question really is all about the Catch 22 which I have posted on quite a few times previously. However, there is an interesting twist in that the questioner has entered Hong Kong on an APEC Business Travel Card and none of his clients are actually based in Hong Kong. So I am grateful for […] Keep Reading...>

July 12th, 2021

Hong Kong being a small, dynamic city which punches above its weight in the region, this situation happens all the time. So what IS the impact on your subsequent eligibility for the Right of Abode if your employer wants to shift you off-shore temporarily to manage a project? QUESTION I have been working in Hong Kong […] Keep Reading...>

July 10th, 2021

First Published July 29, 2013 The Immigration Department need documentation to understand when to demarcate new from old sponsorship arrangements when changing employers and the million dollar question is……. what will suffice? QUESTION I have a sponsored visa from my current employer until November 2014. I am now wanting to leave this company and start […] Keep Reading...>

July 8th, 2021

First Published On April 11, 2013 What’s the deal if you’re in Hong Kong with a dependant visa and your spouse wants to leave but you want to stay? QUESTION Hello, I am here on a dependent visa with my husband. He is planning to leave his employment in Hong Kong and return to his […] Keep Reading...>

July 6th, 2021

QUESTION I currently hold a Hong Kong employment visa with a company where I am receiving a monthly salary of HK$50,000 (fixed salary, no bonuses), and have been working with this company for the past 4 years. My contract, and visa, are due to expire soon so I am in the process of looking for a […] Keep Reading...>

July 3rd, 2021

What a great question – never been asked this before! QUESTION I have been resident in Hong Kong for 5 and a half years on a working visa. I lost my job over 6 months ago and thought that I had no option but to leave. I obtained the MPF refund in May and signed […] Keep Reading...>

July 1st, 2021

First Published August 2, 2012 Thinking about joining in a side business in Hong Kong? Certain foreign national professionals who teach in Hong Kong, especially those at university, often find themselves wishing to participate in their profession whilst educating others. The question is begged as to how they can, from a visa and immigration perspective, […] Keep Reading...>

June 21st, 2021

First Published June 20, 2012 Down the years a great many foreign nationals arrive in Hong Kong as visitors ‘on spec’ and are able to successfully change their immigration status in order for them to take up employment when a job offer manifests itself here. This question discusses this very issue and provides the answer […] Keep Reading...>

June 19th, 2021

It happens a lot. You stay and work in Hong Kong for 3, 4, 5 years and get over the hump en route to the magic 7 years needed for a Permanent Identity Card. Then you find yourself having to spend time away from Hong Kong to further your career, education or due to special […] Keep Reading...>

June 17th, 2021

How do the Hong Kong Immigration Department consider the likely impact of possible criminal charges on a foreign national temporary resident and his or her ability to remain here pending the outcome of the processes leading to a determination as to whether or not to press charges? Here follows a question-answer dialogue I had by […] Keep Reading...>

June 14th, 2021

Sometimes, round-pegs-in-square-holes situations crop up which make the challenge of securing a Hong Kong employment visa especially daunting! This question raises a very interesting set of circumstances which make for an interesting visa application experience ahead! QUESTION “I have been working for the same group of companies for the last 7 years. We have operations […] Keep Reading...>

June 12th, 2021

First Published May 13, 2013 HIV Health Checks Hong Kong Visa Application ? Amazing really. more than 20 years in the business of Hong Kong immigration and this is the first time I can remember this question ever being raised. So, now you know! QUESTION Hi Stephen, I do not see this issue addressed on […] Keep Reading...>

June 10th, 2021

Sometimes, the sun and the moon align beautifully on a set of circumstances to allow an unmarried couple to spend time together in Hong Kong when ordinarily visa circumstances conspire against them. Not on this occasion, however! QUESTION “Hi there, I have just recently returned from Hong Kong to Canada where I am a citizen. […] Keep Reading...>

June 8th, 2021

My employment visa has been refused …. We have been contacted a lot recently by applicants who’s cases have been refused  – so this question is both timely and, for all those affected, of great significance. QUESTION “I would like to know if, once  I have received the first rejection letter from an Officer of the […] Keep Reading...>

June 6th, 2021

Question: Hi there, I am interested in migrating to Hong Kong, wasn’t sure what is the best route – getting employment take times, and I wonder what might be the alternative. I am going to open a domain company but not sure if that works. I need some help to explore some of options but […] Keep Reading...>

June 4th, 2021

First Published October 9, 2012 Whilst the implementation of Hong Kong immigration policy is essentially very flexible, as an employment visa holder, until you have gone on to receive the right of abode (RoA) or unconditional stay after seven years continuous ordinary residence, your permissions to remain in Hong Kong are governed very tightly. I am […] Keep Reading...>

June 2nd, 2021

Contact Hong Kong Immigration and make your visa expire? This question comes up often enough for it to warrant another explanation of the arrangements which prevail (current ImmD practice)… QUESTION Dear Visa Geeza,  I’m under the impression that when you leave a company that has been sponsoring your employment visa or if you are fired, […] Keep Reading...>

May 30th, 2021

It sometimes happens that 2 job offers emerge in quick succession and you prefer to accept the 2nd one but the visa application for the first one has already started. So what happens in a situation like this? QUESTION I am currently in Hong Kong and about to sign a contract with a company who […] Keep Reading...>

May 28th, 2021

First Published July 2012 This question raises a really good point of Hong Kong immigration practice and provides an opportunity to shed some light on how ‘continuity of residence’ is considered by the HKID when it comes to permanent residency applications from 7 year-resident foreign nationals in the HKSAR. QUESTION “Hi, I have been working […] Keep Reading...>

May 26th, 2021

First Published April 22, 2012 Visas for one-man consulting businesses figure constantly in our enquiries Inbox. This post will attempt to put to bed this question once and for all… QUESTION “I am currently working as a consultant for a South African company and I am doing consulting for a large international conglomerate in Hong […] Keep Reading...>

May 24th, 2021

First Published On June 20, 2013 This question raises its head in many different guises but this is the first time that anyone has asked it in such a pointed way in the context of training visas – so I’m pleased to be able to shed some light! QUESTION Hi, Great that you provide this […] Keep Reading...>

May 22nd, 2021

So, just what immigration options for parents accrue to a foreign national holding a Hong Kong permanent identity card? QUESTION Hi there!  A foreign national became a permanent resident after many years study and work in Hong Kong. Now he wants to sponsor his parents holding Canadian passports to become a P.R. In Hong Kong […] Keep Reading...>

May 20th, 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...>

May 18th, 2021

UPDATE: May 17, 2021 – due to recent new wave of COVID19 infections in Singapore the bubble has once again been postponed – likely to June sometime – watch this space. Never easy is it? Travel Bubble Website Here   UPDATE: April 26, 2021 – At a Press Conference today Edward Yau announced the following […] Keep Reading...>

May 17th, 2021

Can you realistically expect to work for yourself if your employment permissions have been granted under IANG? QUESTION Hi Stephen, thanks a lot for answering the questions on this website. I must say that all the information on visageeza.com is of immense value. I would like to pose a question regarding the Immigration Arrangement for […] Keep Reading...>

May 16th, 2021

Do you need to leave Hong Kong to activate a Hong Kong employment visa extension of stay together with an accompanying dependant visa? Has Covid19 made any difference to the way the Hong Kong Immigration Department extend such status for currently resident foreign nationals? QUESTION Hi Visa Geeza. I’m asking a question that has already […] Keep Reading...>

May 14th, 2021

Life can get a bit complicated if you work in 2 places at the same time… QUESTION I work for a Hong Kong company in Macau and my wife is my dependent in Hong Kong where we live. My colleague was the same but has now been employed by a Macau company. Does this change […] Keep Reading...>

May 12th, 2021

Is the Right of Abode in Hong Kong passed along to the spouse of a permanent resident such that is claimable after the death of your PR holding husband..? QUESTION This query is for  my cousin who is an adult. She was born in Pakistan and got married to a Hong Kong non-Chinese permanent resident. She […] Keep Reading...>

May 10th, 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...>

May 8th, 2021

This is a typical question about what is really a Hong Kong business investment visa application – but most often people don’t know, understandably enough, how to couch it… First Published April 21, 2012   QUESTION “Hello, I’m interested in getting HK residence permit (working visa). Please advise what’s the easiest, fastest and cheapest way […] Keep Reading...>

May 6th, 2021

First Published June 25, 2015 Over the last 20 years or so I have coined a number of phrases in Hong Kong immigration parlance. In this short video, I discuss the Hong Kong visa Twilight Zone. More Stuff You May Find Useful or Interesting Hong Kong immigration… what does it mean…Swapping Status? Hong Kong immigration… what […] Keep Reading...>

May 4th, 2021

Hong Kong immigration is rife with visa gossip and rumours so I am pleased this question has been raised as it allows me to slay an old dragon once and for all! QUESTION Hi Stephen, Thanks ever so much for your amazing website. I have never seen anything like this before – and I can’t […] Keep Reading...>

May 2nd, 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...>

April 30th, 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...>

April 28th, 2021

First Published Years Ago!   I get loads of great questions to answer and it’s my genuine pleasure to help. Sometimes, though, people don’t appreciate what it is they are actually asking me to be a party to when they seek my advice via our websites.. So please don’t ask me to advise you on […] Keep Reading...>

April 23rd, 2021

First Published November 6, 2018 Life in Hong Kong can throw up many challenges, none too much greater than the following: QUESTION Hello, and thank you for the opportunity to ask my question! I have questions, but I will frame my situation first. In June of this year, I made a big mistake and got […] Keep Reading...>

April 21st, 2021

Hong Kong being a small, dynamic city which punches above its weight in the region, this situation happens all the time. So what IS the impact on your subsequent eligibility for the Right of Abode if your employer wants to shift you off-shore temporarily to manage a project? QUESTION I have been working in Hong Kong […] Keep Reading...>

April 19th, 2021

The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme is designed to attract ‘top notch’ talents to the HKSAR and, by my reckoning, only about 5% of applicants ever receive a Golden Ticket. Of course if you happen to have a Nobel prize or you are an Olympiad with a medal to your name, the odds of an approval […] Keep Reading...>

April 17th, 2021

This question really is all about the Catch 22 which I have posted on quite a few times previously. However, there is an interesting twist in that the questioner has entered Hong Kong on an APEC Business Travel Card and none of his clients are actually based in Hong Kong. So I am grateful for […] Keep Reading...>

April 15th, 2021

First Published September 1, 2018 Not every stint for work or business means full time residency in Hong Kong so what to do about ‘half-timers’? QUESTION I am pursuing options to take up employment in Hong Kong and would like to know if there is any residence requirement for retention of a work visa. For […] Keep Reading...>

April 13th, 2021

This question seeks to understand what you should make of repeat requests for information from the Hong Kong Immigration Department (HKID) during the course of your visa application. QUESTION “Good day. In the course of what would appear to be a straightforward application, two sets of requests for further information have been sent by the […] Keep Reading...>

April 11th, 2021

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