Browse Our Most Recent Content (& Beyond)

You always need a Hong Kong working visa to take up employment in Hong Kong whether paid or unpaid. What about if you are serving out your notice period on gardening leave? (First Published June 4, 2015) QUESTION My friend resigned from his job with his Hong Kong employer in May and he was on […] Keep Reading...>

January 21st, 2021

How important is sponsor-profitability, especially for start up businesses less than 12 months old? QUESTION I have been recruited by a newly established company (12 months old as of this week). They have never hired a foreigner and have tasked me with completing the visa forms, both employee and employer versions. The Employer-side application requires […] Keep Reading...>

January 17th, 2021

First Published November 27, 2017 Unusual set of facts in this case and a question never posed to me in this fashion previously… Remain in Hong Kong under an Employment Visa sponsored by an ex-Employer? QUESTION I have been in Hong Kong since 2011 under an employment visa but have recently quit my job. The […] Keep Reading...>

January 15th, 2021

First Published August 2, 2017 QUESTION As a school we regularly invite specialist teachers (generally musicians or artists) to visit from overseas and provide workshops for both students and staff.  We pay these specialists a fee and provide accommodation and flights.  Generally the visit will last two weeks.  Is it necessary to obtain an employment […] Keep Reading...>

January 13th, 2021

It hardly matters how you skin this cat, ImmD will approach it in exactly the same way… as a new business situation. QUESTION I plan to start a business with three other partners. Two of these are Hong Kong permanent residents and one of them is in the same situation as myself: recently unemployed and […] Keep Reading...>

January 11th, 2021

If you are a graduate is it hard and fast that you need at least 2 years post graduation working experience in a managerial or supervisory capacity in order to secure a Hong Kong work visa – or is there some wriggle room in this regard? QUESTION Hi there, I have heard in one of […] Keep Reading...>

January 8th, 2021

First Published On May 19, 2012   It’s funny how this question just keeps on cropping up. I’m not quite certain where this red herring originates from as the Hong Kong Immigration Department standard communications do not specifically call for such a document (and we do not expressly request one from our clients in support […] Keep Reading...>

January 6th, 2021

Happy New Year Everyone. Bit of good news just before the new year break: The Immigration Department accepts applications for return to Hong Kong from Hong Kong non-permanent residents outside Hong Kong under the pandemic. ***************************************************************************** https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202012/31/P2020123100764.htm     Immigration Department (ImmD) today (December 31) announced that in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong Kong non-permanent […] Keep Reading...>

January 4th, 2021

How is your dependant visa affected under the Mainland Talents & Professionals Scheme if your sponsor father is heading home?  What happens to a Hong Kong resident dependant visa holder sponsored by a parent holding a visa issued under the Admission of Mainland Talents & Professionals Scheme where the parent is unlikely to remain in […] Keep Reading...>

January 2nd, 2021

Got an income but no savings? What impact will this have on your ability to successfully sponsor a Hong Kong dependant visa? QUESTION Hello! I have a work visa and will apply for my husband to stay by applying for a Hong Kong dependant visa. Alas I have no savings, is there a minimum amount […] Keep Reading...>

December 31st, 2020

if you hold a Hong Kong employment visa, bringing elderly parents to join you in Hong Kong is an area of immigration practice that is fraught with difficulty – as well as uncertainty. Dependant visas are, as a matter of policy, not available for non permanent residents yet it’s a scenario that presents itself all […] Keep Reading...>

December 29th, 2020

Chances of a Hong Kong employment visa? Is it feasible to come to Hong Kong on a working holiday visa and then swap to an employment visa subsequently? Yes but… QUESTION Hi. I would like to go work in Hong Kong (I am Australian and have just finished my business degree). Just wondering if I […] Keep Reading...>

December 26th, 2020

The Hong Kong training visa is an oft-misunderstood animal so I am grateful for this question that allows me to clear up some of the confusion. QUESTION Hi, congrats on the website, it’s very helpful! I just arrived in Hong Kong and my new potential employer is worried about the following: (a) That if I […] Keep Reading...>

December 24th, 2020

The Immigration Department (ImmD) announced an update on service arrangements as follows: Service Disruptions For At Least 2 More Weeks (Until Further Notice) Keep Reading...>

December 22nd, 2020

The question of investment visa or not is actually quite straight forward. It’s all about ‘living’ in Hong Kong… QUESTION Hi Visa Geeza, I’ve a question regarding putting up a company in Hong Kong. I’ve been reading about how “easy” it is to set up a company in Hong Kong, however, it sounds too over […] Keep Reading...>

December 20th, 2020

This is an important question on the business investment visa for Hong Kong…. Experience suggests that the Hong Kong Immigration Department do tend to look favourably upon such business plans, but the applicant absolutely does not have it all his or her own way, as you will learn in my PodCast answer. (Please note the […] Keep Reading...>

December 18th, 2020

Is it possible to stop working in Hong Kong under an employment visa, move to another country to work yet leave your family behind to continue their lives in here without you day to day? QUESTION Hi, I have got valid Hong Kong employment visa and i am living in Hong Kong since last 4 […] Keep Reading...>

December 16th, 2020

Is there a ‘minimum waiting time’ between a rejected Hong Kong employment visa application and  then ‘trying again’? QUESTION I have a visa question, I got an offer from a recruitment company in July, they applied the working visa for me, but it got rejected by the end of August. Now I have a new offer […] Keep Reading...>

December 14th, 2020

Having a relationship with a Chinese partner resident on the Mainland can be problematic if you wish to share your lives together in Hong Kong… QUESTION I am looking to take up employment in Hong Kong from November 1st. My biggest concern is the ability and feasibility for my girlfriend from Mainland China to be […] Keep Reading...>

December 12th, 2020

How can you have your cake AND eat it in Hong Kong – working for both yourself AND also a third party employer at the same time? QUESTION Hi, I’ve read (or I think I read) that with an employee visa we can transform it to an investor visa with the agreement of the employer. […] Keep Reading...>

December 10th, 2020

First Published October 17, 2017 What kind of activity is permitted if you are in Hong Kong on a Visitor visa? Does this include informal study? QUESTION My wife and I are spending some time here in Hong Kong. We do not work here and we do not intend to. We just enjoy living here, […] Keep Reading...>

December 8th, 2020

This question mainly relates to business rather than immigration law but is still an important question nonetheless… QUESTION Hello I have a Hong Kong  dependant visa that gives me the right to work in Hong Kong. I have been offered a Regional Asia role based out of Hong Kong by a Canadian company. This company is […] Keep Reading...>

December 6th, 2020

 This question raises quite a number of issues surrounding a decision to go into business for yourself in Hong Kong whilst presently holding an employment visa sponsored by a third party employer (and it’s only the immigration parts which I am qualified to address). QUESTION Hello Stephen, I have an employment visa for the remaining […] Keep Reading...>

December 4th, 2020

Time spent outside of Hong Kong working for a Hong Kong employer? This question has come up before but the questioner has assumed that his training visa will be extended subsequently so…  QUESTION I am married and have two kids aged 8 and 5. I have recently taken up employment in Hong Kong with a […] Keep Reading...>

December 1st, 2020

If you leave your job and want to start your own business in Hong Kong, what are the immigration implications of this if you are a temporary resident foreign national employee? QUESTION Hi Stephen, I am in a bit of a pickle, I am currently waiting for my PR and I have a visa extension […] Keep Reading...>

November 29th, 2020

Intern visa for Hong Kong? Internships for foreign national students seeking experience in Hong Kong are getting ever more popular… QUESTION Hi, Our company is trying to hire an intern on a short 3-6 months internship. He holds a British passport. If he meets all the criteria on the Hong Kong Immigration Website, will there be […] Keep Reading...>

November 27th, 2020

Foreign nationals can come to Hong Kong to receive training – the question is how long can you reasonably expect the visa application consideration exercise to take? QUESTION I recently signed a contract for a 12-month training with one of the biggest insurance companies in Hong Kong.  My application for training visa has been submitted […] Keep Reading...>

November 25th, 2020

Fast moving – no experience with it yet – here is the Government blurb … Introduction Pursuant to section 12 and 12A of the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (the Regulation) (Cap. 599C), the Secretary for Food and Health would specify Guangdong Province and Macao as Category 2 specified places in […] Keep Reading...>

November 24th, 2020

COVID19 continues apace. Bubble put back until 2021 at the earliest… I’ll update this post with news as it comes in. Sigh… Hong Kong – Singapore Travel Bubble! The long-awaited air travel bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong will [NOT] start on November 22 with a quota of 200 passengers each way on one dedicated […] Keep Reading...>

November 22nd, 2020

This an excellent question which has never come up in this fashion before so I’m delighted to provide the answer! First Published July 30, 2013 QUESTION I have just been made redundant by my Australian employer and my last day working in Hong Kong will be August 30, 2013. My visa permit period extends to […] Keep Reading...>

November 21st, 2020

The right to land in Hong Kong impacts quite a number of people here but does not figure much in the general immigration scheme as it is not a status that you can apply for per se, nor is it an immigration status that you can acquire by descent. The right to land in Hong […] Keep Reading...>

November 17th, 2020

This question comes up quite often so I’m grateful to this questioner for asking it. The answer is straight forward enough, but in my PodCast below, I set out why the reason it is as it is – and why trying to start your Right of Abode application earlier is essentially an exercise in futulity! […] Keep Reading...>

November 15th, 2020

Are family members who are accompanying a main applicant for the right of abode in Hong Kong treated in any particular way by the Hong Kong Immigration Department? QUESTION Hi When applying for the right of abode in Hong Kong for the whole family .. if I put in 9 years worth of my husband’s tax […] Keep Reading...>

November 13th, 2020

Independent media professionals often occupy a round-pegs-in-square-holes situation when it comes to being able to practice their trade in Hong Kong and this question discusses how they might go about being able to do so. QUESTION Hi! My partner and I are media professionals from Canada. We have 10 years experience each in our respective […] Keep Reading...>

November 10th, 2020

Your company is brand new – will ImmD buy into your intentions to sponsor a foreign national to be the first employee?  QUESTION As a new company I want to hire a manager who has special talent from overseas? How can I prove our financial capability as a new company? More Stuff You May Find […] Keep Reading...>

November 7th, 2020

First Published September 20, 2017 What’s the differentiating line between a Hong Kong investment visa and an employment visa when investing in the company that is seeking to sponsor-employ you? QUESTION I’m from Australia and have been living and working, as a language teacher, in Hong Kong since  December 2014. I am currently starting up […] Keep Reading...>

November 4th, 2020

Getting from the Right to Land to the Right of Abode is the same as coming from a temporary visa to a permanent identity card. It’s all about the magic seven years in Hong Kong…  QUESTION I am a UK Citizen with the Right to Land. I understand that with Right to Land, I have no […] Keep Reading...>

November 2nd, 2020

Can any old entity successfully sponsor an employment visa extension under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates? QUESTION I am currently in Hong Kong on IANG Visa. My company would need to help me to sponsor the IANG visa once my limit of stay is within 4 weeks of expiry. I do understand that the […] Keep Reading...>

October 28th, 2020

Hong Kong is such a draw but sometimes it’s just not going to be… QUESTION Hi Stephen, I am 25 Years old Indian National. I don’t have any kind of degree. I own a business from past seven years in India. I am applying for jobs from past 4 months but in most of the […] Keep Reading...>

October 26th, 2020

There appears to be a misconception among foreign nationals that you can be living here and it be OK to run a business in Hong Kong without getting an investment visa just so long as you don’t pay yourself a salary… QUESTION I currently hold a working visa which is still valid for almost 2 more […] Keep Reading...>

October 23rd, 2020

This is joining in a side business albeit in another name… QUESTION Info -NZ Passport holder -Working in Hong Kong for three years with an employer. Hello I would like to know how I would go about starting a business in Hong Kong. I would like to start a freelance business. I am worried about my visa […] Keep Reading...>

October 21st, 2020

First Published September 22, 2017 Is it possible to hold an employment visa, not work for your sponsoring employer and travel, live and possibly even work outside of Hong Kong through to the 7 years qualification mark and still qualify for the right of abode? QUESTION Hi Stephen, I have a question regarding Hong Kong […] Keep Reading...>

October 19th, 2020

IMPORTANT: Please note that we have no competency in Foreign Domestic Helper visas. Any such questions are best directed at an FDH agency who have significant experience in those types of visas. I receive 70-100 questions a week on this Blog and most of these are very succinct, allowing me to quickly drill down on […] Keep Reading...>

October 17th, 2020

First Published August 24, 2017 Thankfully, Hong Kong immigration is not overly bureaucratic or legalistic so what appears to be an intractable problem more often than not is not such a big deal after all… QUESTION Hello, My wife and I were married earlier this year. I am a US citizen, but she is an […] Keep Reading...>

October 15th, 2020

The Hong Kong training visa is designed to allow foreign nationals to come to Hong Kong for a limited time to undergo or deliver training. Will ImmD entertain an application from a training visa holder to take up employment with another business while that training is ongoing? QUESTION Dear Visa Geeza, Thanks in advance for […] Keep Reading...>

October 11th, 2020

Hong Kong investment visa extension after being granted only an initial 6 month limit of stay? QUESTION Dear Visa Geeza, I’d like to thank you for building such useful resources online. I followed your advice when preparing my business investment visa. My visa got approved and with a six month review condition. I have already […] Keep Reading...>

October 9th, 2020

First Published September 14, 2017 Tough question this – so what’s the answer…? QUESTION Hello Hong Kong Visa Geeza, This website is simply wonderful and resourceful!! Thanks. I had a question and was wondering if you can please help. I finish 7 years in Hong Kong in November and my current employment visa expires on […] Keep Reading...>

October 7th, 2020

The issue of fiances prior to marriage and how the Hong Kong Immigration Department treat them is often confused so I was happy to receive this question recently. So, how are fiance’s prior to marriage treated by the Hong Kong Immigration Department? QUESTION My fiancé is a Philippine resident working in Hong Kong for the […] Keep Reading...>

October 5th, 2020

First Published October 4, 2017 What do ImmD make of foreign nationals who hold an employment visa for a period of time, then remain here as Visitors again for a protracted time, then apply once again for an employment visa? QUESTION I was previously employed in Hong for a number of years, but have been […] Keep Reading...>

October 4th, 2020

The indiscretions of youth can come back and haunt you in later years and in this question, a conviction for shoplifting quite some time ago is on the mind of an intending foreign national resident of Hong Kong… QUESTION I am very keen in settling down in Hong Kong in the long-term future. And I […] Keep Reading...>

October 3rd, 2020

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