Browse Our Most Recent Content (& Beyond)

Long Stay Visitor? Been In Hong Kong More Than 180 Days In A One Year Given Period …     Practice Update 2026 – This content must be read in light of changes to ImmD practice since it was first published Under Hong Kong immigration control, foreign nationals who repeatedly enter the territory to maintain […] Keep Reading...>

October 27th, 2026

Visitor Status Upon Arrival Intend To Work In Hong Kong? Is it ever legal to work in Hong Kong – especially on a short term basis – with  Visitor status – without the permission of the Director of Immigration? Practice Update 2026 – This content must be read in light of changes to ImmD practice […] Keep Reading...>

October 25th, 2026

Can You Get A Hong Kong Employment Visa By Suing ImmD? Crazy, True Story Going Back 15 Years   First Published August 27, 2012   Sue his way to a Hong Kong employment visa? It is a very rare occasion indeed that private court hearings see the light of day and it tickles me pink […] Keep Reading...>

October 24th, 2026

Rent an Apartment in Hong Kong as a Frequent Visitor? If you find yourself often in Hong Kong as a frequent Visitor is it lawful and / or possible to rent an apartment in order to keep accommodation expenses down …     Practice Update 2026 – This content must be read in light of […] Keep Reading...>

October 23rd, 2026

Work in Hong Kong on a Visitor Visa? First Published September 22, 2021 & Updated October 2026 Practice Update 2026 – This content must be read in light of changes to ImmD practice since it was first published Under Hong Kong immigration law, the foundational rule remains unequivocal: individuals entering as visitors are strictly prohibited […] Keep Reading...>

October 22nd, 2026

The 2026 Immigration Facilitation Scheme, Authorised Host Organisations and the 14-Day Employment Exception Short Term Work For Visitors To Hong Kong   Practice Update: The 2026 Immigration Facilitation Scheme, Authorised Host Organisations and the 14-Day Employment Exception Hong Kong has long maintained a clear distinction between individuals entering the territory as visitors and those admitted […] Keep Reading...>

October 21st, 2026

So, what are the immigration implications of getting married and then having children in Hong Kong if you are a temporary resident presently holding an employment visa? QUESTION Hi, Can you please help with a few questions? 1. I am getting married next month and would like to cancel my employment visa through my employer, […] Keep Reading...>

October 20th, 2026

What Chance Does A Published Author Have Under The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme?   How the Content Must Now Be Read in Light of the Updated QMAS (Quality Migrant Admission Scheme) Policy In the legacy casework analysis examined in What Chance A Published Author Under The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme?, the substantive discussion centres on […] Keep Reading...>

October 16th, 2026

The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) Visa Update | From Inception Until The Present Day     “Over three decades of legal advisory practice in Hong Kong have made one reality abundantly clear: the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme is not an administrative entitlement, but an active, highly selective talent-curation mechanism. Following the definitive structural overhaul […] Keep Reading...>

October 15th, 2026

Navigating The New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES)     “Over three and a half decades of Hong Kong immigration practice, we have never seen a policy landscape as sharply divided as today’s. While routes like the Top Talent Pass Scheme and the Entrepreneur visa now demand aggressive, on-the-ground economic proof – payroll, physical […] Keep Reading...>

October 14th, 2026

Practice Direction: Hong Kong’s IANG Visa – From Graduate Retention to Economic Participation     “The Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates has fundamentally evolved from a post-study retention bridge into an engine of active economic participation. While acquiring a qualifying degree from Hong Kong or its Greater Bay Area campuses unlocks an initial 24-month runway […] Keep Reading...>

October 13th, 2026

A Strategic Shift: Hong Kong’s Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) Moves from Talent Attraction to Economic Contribution   “The Top Talent Pass Scheme represents an unprecedented, radical departure from Hong Kong’s traditionally cautious immigration playbook. By stripping away upfront employer sponsorship and letting top-tier graduates and genuine high-earners vote with their feet, the government engineered […] Keep Reading...>

October 12th, 2026

Although this case study is based on a situation I was asked to provide guidance to many years ago, its content is still relevant today.   Our client was a French national with a wife and 5 year old daughter – all of them, French citizens. He had first arrived in Hong Kong in 2004 […] Keep Reading...>

October 11th, 2026

What Do You Get For Your Money When You Instruct A Hong Kong Immigration Consultant? First Published 2012 (15 Years Ago – Look How Young I Am!) PRACTICE UPDATE OCTOBER 2026: How the content must now be read in light of current ImmD policy: Look, if you head over to any expat forum or Reddit […] Keep Reading...>

October 10th, 2026

Updated October 12, 2026.   Heightened ImmD Scrutiny ImmD shifted from a traditional “process and approve” paradigm to an aggressive compliance-and-audit model. This heightened diligence has been driven by several key factors: 1. Abuse of New Talent Schemes: Massive application volumes under the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) and QMAS led to illicit intermediaries selling […] Keep Reading...>

October 9th, 2026

A Major Change: The Upgraded Assessment Regime for Hong Kong’s Entrepreneur Visa     “The era of ImmD ‘let’s see what happens’ discretion is dead. Under post-April 2026 administrative practice, the Immigration Department has replaced narrative flexibility with an uncompromising high-expectation of ‘substantial’ contribution to the economy of Hong Kong. For independent business founders, securing […] Keep Reading...>

October 8th, 2026

Hong Kong Immigration Is Changing. So Are We. Regular visitors to the Hong Kong Visa Geeza website may have noticed that parts of our extensive immigration knowledge library have not been updated as frequently as they once were. There is a reason for that. Behind the scenes, we have been undertaking what is probably the […] Keep Reading...>

October 7th, 2026

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 working for a non-HK employer […] Keep Reading...>

October 6th, 2026

Life in Hong Kong throws up many new opportunities and this question seeks to understand the implications for 7 years continuous residency in respect of an eventual right of abode application where an overall switch over in life plans sees a lady intending to relinquish her employment visa for a student or dependant visa … […] Keep Reading...>

October 2nd, 2026

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...>

September 30th, 2026

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...>

September 29th, 2026

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...>

September 25th, 2026

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...>

September 22nd, 2026

How can you extend your Hong Kong work visa if your passport  has only a very limited amount of time remaining on it before it expires? QUESTION Hello, My passport is currently being renewed but my Hong Kong work visa runs out very soon.  However I cannot start the visa extension application process without a new […] Keep Reading...>

September 17th, 2026

PRACTICE UPDATE: How the content must now be read in light of current ImmD policy: This piece explores the common strategy where one partner incorporates a company to hire their co-founder under an employment visa rather than an investment visa. While the advice historically warned that ImmD scrutinizes “new business situations” and checks whether the […] Keep Reading...>

September 14th, 2026

Caught Working in Hong Kong Without an Employment Visa? If you’re working in Hong Kong  (paid, unpaid or temporarily transferred in) but do not have an employment visa sponsored by your current employer you are breaking the law and could be subject to 3 years imprisonment and/or up to a HKD350,000 fine. The law is very […] Keep Reading...>

September 10th, 2026

This is joining in a side business albeit in another name…and a solution for certain types of Hong Kong Employment Visa holders thinking about freelancing in Hong Kong PRACTICE UPDATE: How the content must now be read in light of current ImmD policy: The advice regarding securing ImmD permission to “join in a side business” under Section […] Keep Reading...>

September 7th, 2026

Where your proposed employer is a brand new company you can expect the Hong Kong Immigration Department to look very closely at the enterprise to make sure that it is in fact a suitable sponsor for your working visa permissions. In many ways, the due diligence which the Hong Kong ID undertake is very much […] Keep Reading...>

September 3rd, 2026

Can any old entity successfully sponsor an employment visa extension under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates? What qualifies a Hong Kong employer as a suitable and credible sponsor? PRACTICE UPDATE: How to read in light of current ImmD policy: While the historical case advisory in What Do The Immigration Department Look For When Establishing […] Keep Reading...>

August 31st, 2026

Successfully Apply For An Entrepreneur Visa In Hong Kong A comprehensive guide to successfully apply for an Entrepreneur Visa in Hong Kong, covering all aspects from business plan to financial projections. PRACTICE UPDATE: How to read in light of current ImmD policy: While this guide historically advises applicants that a standard two-year forecast, a general […] Keep Reading...>

August 28th, 2026

I Have Sworn A Declaration That I Am Leaving Hong Kong To Receive An MPF Refund … Am I Now Precluded From Making an Application for the Right of Abode Here? QUESTION I have been resident in Hong Kong for 5 and a half years on a working visa. I lost my job over 6 […] Keep Reading...>

August 23rd, 2026

Employment law and immigration law are often overlapping but must be dealt with separately…this post talks about what can be done if someone’s employment contract ends on the same day as their Hong Kong work visa, but they need to stay in Hong Kong for a while longer to sort out their affairs. What can […] Keep Reading...>

August 20th, 2026

One of the more upsetting parts of being a Hong Kong immigration consultant is learning that one family member alone, due to an unfortunate combination of circumstances, finds herself the odd one out by not having been able to correctly manage her visa status here – and all, essentially, through no fault of her own. […] Keep Reading...>

August 17th, 2026

Practice Update 2026 – This content must be read in light of changes to ImmD practice since it was first published Under Hong Kong immigration law, the administrative protocols governing the expiration of employment visas have undergone a decisive tightening, fundamentally altering the status-adjustment strategies available to outbound or transitioning foreign professionals. In Can I […] Keep Reading...>

August 14th, 2026

Practice Update 2026 – This content must be read in light of changes to ImmD practice since it was first published Under Hong Kong immigration control, maintaining continuous presence through back-to-back border runs—the classic “Shenzhen shuttle” or Macau turnaround—represents an inherently fragile strategy that inevitably attracts severe scrutiny at the control point. In I Have […] Keep Reading...>

August 10th, 2026

Hong Kong change of employer application – how can you readily manage the should-you-resign-before-your-change-of-work-visa-sponsorship-application-has-been-approved conundrum? QUESTION I have held a Hong Kong work visa for 2 .5 years now and I am currently in the process of finalizing an offer letter with a new employer here. I need your advice in relation to the timing […] Keep Reading...>

August 7th, 2026

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...>

August 3rd, 2026

You know how it is… you arrive in Hong Kong for a year of fun and adventure and then you want to stay… This article deals with the transfer from a Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa to a full Employment Visa. QUESTION Hi there! I’m an Australian citizen in Hong Kong, working under a working holiday visa […] Keep Reading...>

July 31st, 2026

So, how does your prior immigration record in Hong Kong impact on future visa applications? Do the Hong Kong Immigration Department cross-refer previous applications for a visa to current application for a visa? QUESTION Hello! I have a question regarding to my working visa. Previously I have been working in Hong Kong in the skin […] Keep Reading...>

July 28th, 2026

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 soon. My biggest concern is the ability and feasibility for my girlfriend from Mainland China to be able to […] Keep Reading...>

July 23rd, 2026

Do the Hong Kong Immigration Department expect every foreign national employee of Hong Kong registered companies to have employment visas even if they have never worked (or never will work) in the HKSAR? QUESTION Is there any problem with a Hong Kong registered company employing someone currently resident in Malaysia for a role supporting one […] Keep Reading...>

July 20th, 2026

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...>

July 14th, 2026

I Lived In Hong Kong For 11 Years – And Have Been Gone For The Last 7 – Can I Still Get Permanent Residency? It happens a lot more often than you might imagine. You’d think that the many early years in Hong Kong ought to count towards your right of abode but all too […] Keep Reading...>

July 10th, 2026

Extend a Hong Kong business investment visa?  Not so long ago the Hong Kong Immigration Department made life quite easy for certain entrepreneurs when it came time to extend a business investment visa… PRACTICE UPDATE: How the content must now be read in light of current ImmD policy: This practical document checklist for extension of […] Keep Reading...>

July 6th, 2026

Practice Update 2026 – This content must be read in light of changes to ImmD practice since it was first published Under Hong Kong immigration control, maintaining continuous presence through back-to-back border runs—the classic “Shenzhen shuttle” or Macau turnaround—represents an inherently fragile strategy that inevitably attracts severe scrutiny at the control point. In I Have […] Keep Reading...>

July 2nd, 2026

How Can I Prove The Veracity Of My CV For My Hong Kong Employment Visa Application If A Prior Employer Is No Longer In Business? 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 […] Keep Reading...>

June 30th, 2026

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..? First Published November 20 2013 – Still of Interest Today QUESTION This query is for  my cousin who is an adult. She was born in Pakistan and […] Keep Reading...>

June 28th, 2026

Foreign nationals seeking to work in Hong Kong have a lot of stake in an employment visa application so when it doesn’t work out positively where does that leave their proposed relationship? QUESTION Hi, After the recruitment process in a multinational company in Hong Kong, they decided to employ me, so I signed the offer […] Keep Reading...>

June 23rd, 2026

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 a UK national and have […] Keep Reading...>

June 19th, 2026

Can you live in China yet remain a HK resident with a valid Hong Kong employment visa? QUESTION We are a married couple with children and have lived in Hong Kong for 3.5 years.  We are moving to Shanghai soon (my husband’s employer is moving us).    We currently have a Hong Kong employment visa for […] Keep Reading...>

June 16th, 2026

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