In order to travel to any country, first you must get a visa. Depending on the country you need to go, different visas are required. There is a large number of visa types and it can be difficult to figure out which one will work with your situation. However, if you want to go to Hong Kong, you may only need an E-Visa Hong Kong. What is an E-Visa Hong Kong?
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China provides a convenient E-Visa facility for foreigners coming to Hong Kong. The E-Visa is an entry permit which is electronically linked to the passport of the applicant and is valid for use within three months from the date of issue.
E Visa For Hong Kong
Hong Kong Visa
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, HKSAR, has a visa policy that grants visitors from nearly 170 countries and territories visa-free entry for short-term periods that range from 7 to 180 days.
Depending on the traveller’s citizenship and the length of their desired stay, they may have to apply for a Hong Kong visitor visa at an embassy or consulate. Some of the countries that need a Hong Kong visa are: Angola, Armenia, Burundi, Cambodia, Myanmar, Moldova, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal and Uzbekistan among others.
Currently, Indian citizens are expected to apply for a pre- arrival registration, PAR, before travelling to Hong Kong. As of January 2017, Indian nationals can no longer obtain a visa-on-arrival for Hong Kong, and should obtain the Hong Kong online visa, PAR, by completing an online application. Upon arrival, citizens of India should have a valid PAR in order to enter Hong Kong.
Who needs a Visa to visit Hong Kong?
By Twofortnights – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Hong Kong Visa policy allows citizens from 170 countries to enter the region visa-free, for periods of 7 to 180 days. The length of stay is determined by the government of HKSAR:
- British passport holders can travel to Hong Kong visa-free for a period of 180 days.
- Citizens of British Dependent Territories and British Overseas citizens can stay in Hong Kong for up to 90 days and do not need to apply for a visa.
- Citizens of Australia, Canada, the EU, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the USA can enter Hong Kong visa-free for stays of up to 90 days.
- Citizens of several African (including South Africa), South American, and Middle Eastern countries are granted stays of up to 30 days and can also travel visa-free.
All travellers who wish to visit Hong Kong must have a valid passport. Citizens who wish to stay longer than the visa-free period granted by the HKSAR, must apply for a Hong Kong visa before their trip at an embassy or consulate.
Indian nationals should complete the Hong Kong pre-arrival registration, PAR, in order to travel to Hong Kong. The PAR grants its holder a 14-day stay in Hong Kong. Indian travellers with a valid PAR should have a printed copy of their Hong Kong visa at all times during their visit.
Travel to Hong Kong with the Hong Kong Tourist Visa
Citizens of certain countries should apply for a Hong Kong tourist visa by completing the Application for Visit/Transit in Hong Kong, an ID 1003 A form or an ID 1003 B form. This application may be submitted along with other relevant supporting documents to the Receipt and Despatch Unit at the Immigration Department in Hong Kong by post or through a local sponsor. Applicants may also apply for a visa for Hong Kong through their nearest Chinese embassy or consulate.
All nationals who apply for a Hong Kong Tourist Visa or a Transit visa must demonstrate that:
- The applicant’s bona fides are not in doubt.
- The applicant has sufficient funds to cover the costs of the duration of their stay.
- If the applicant has applied for a transit visa/entry permit, they must hold an onward ticket to their destination, unless they are travelling to Mainland China or Macao.
Citizens of 170 territories and countries can visit Hong Kong without submitting a visa application. Before travelling to Hong Kong, it is advised to revise the amount of days the visitor can stay in the HKSAR without holding a visa. The amount of days granted in Hong Kong is subject to the traveller’s nationality.
At the moment, the government of Hong Kong has created an online platform called the Pre-arrival Registration or PAR, and it is available for citizens of India only. Indian nationals are required to obtain an online visa for Hong Kong in order to travel and enter the region.
PAR – Hong Kong Pre-Arrival Registration
In the past, Indian citizens could obtain a visa-on-arrival upon entry to Hong Kong. As of January 23rd, 2017, nationals of India are expected to complete an online form in order to obtain the Hong Kong PAR and travel to the HKSAR.
The Pre-Arrival Registration, PAR, was introduced to facilitate travel to Indian nationals who wish to visit Hong Kong. The PAR online application form contains questions regarding the applicant and their travel plans. To successfully apply for the Hong Kong online visa, Indian citizens must provide a passport with a minimum validity of six months.
The PAR for Indian citizens and Taiwanese citizens is valid for a period of six months and for multiple entries. When travelling to Hong Kong, a PAR holder can stay in the region for up to 14 days. Once the PAR expires, it can not be used to enter Hong Kong.
The traveller must only travel with the passport used during the registration process as the PAR will not be valid if the information it contains does not match exactly with the travel document. Additionally, applicants can only apply for a new PAR once the current authorization has expired.
Starting from 28 December 2021, the Hong Kong Immigration Department has implemented the “e-Visa” arrangement.
This new arrangement has been initially open to foreign domestic workers and non-local graduates, as well as individuals enrolling in the “Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents”. The three visa groups collectively account for around 80% of all applications, according to the Department. It also applies to all applications regarding extension of stay.
All visas are expected to be digitised by the second half of 2022, with eligible individuals able to apply, collect and pay for them online. Applicants will have the option to submit forms on the department’s website or mobile application, as well as the GovHK website.
This new e-visa is supposed to be more convenient and provide an ease-of-use application process. There is no need to complete online forms in one sitting: the new system stores all the information for up to two weeks, during which applicants can return later to complete and submit.
While applicants can still choose to mail in their application forms, visas will be issued as PDF documents and sent to the applicant’s provided email address, replacing the existing label stickers for passports.
The new document will look similar to its physical predecessor but will include an encrypted QR code that can only be read by the department’s app.
Visa-holders and their employers can use the app’s internal camera function to scan the code and retrieve their information.
According to the Hong Kong Immigration Department, digitising the process would reduce human contact and address potential mail service delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
While applicants may save time with the new arrangements, Immigration Department processing times will remain unchanged (normally 4-6 weeks from the date of submission). Supporting documents required for each submission and application costs will also remain the same (HK$ 230).
The best option to facilitate the visa application process with the Hong Kong Immigration Department is to seek advice from immigration experts. Orbis takes the hassle out of the process by operating as your intermediary with the local authorities, guiding you throughout the course of your application with case-by-case advice. Please do not hesitate to contact our team at contact@orbis alliance.com to help you in this regard.