Browse Our Most Recent Content (& Beyond)

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...>

March 27th, 2024

First Published October 9, 2012 – Still Relevant 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 […] Keep Reading...>

March 26th, 2024

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...>

March 25th, 2024

The working holiday visa for Hong Kong is designed for certain types of employment activity – but does this include freelance work or starting or your own business? First Published On April 15, 2013 – Still Relevant QUESTION Hi I have recently moved to Hong Kong with my partner (who has an employment visa) and […] Keep Reading...>

March 24th, 2024

Dead simple question this one with a very short answer (for a change!) QUESTION What paperwork/ piece of paper, if any, goes in to your passport to recognize that you are a permanent resident of the HKSAR?  For the last 7 years I’ve had a dependant visa.  I need to know as I have one […] Keep Reading...>

March 23rd, 2024

First Published August 13, 2014 – Still Relevant 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… QUESTION  OF  THE  WEEK For extending my Hong Kong investment visa for the first renewal, […] Keep Reading...>

March 22nd, 2024

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...>

March 21st, 2024

First Published January 4, 2020 – Still Relevant  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.  […] Keep Reading...>

March 20th, 2024

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...>

March 19th, 2024

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...>

March 18th, 2024

First Published October 29, 2014 – Still Relevant 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 […] Keep Reading...>

March 17th, 2024

Once you have achieved 7 years continuous ordinary residence in Hong Kong, your long stay immigration options open up considerably… QUESTION My current working visa is due to expire at the end of  September, (previously I was given an extension of 3 years in 2010), this I assume was so that I would be valid for […] Keep Reading...>

March 16th, 2024

What is the interplay between unpaid taxes and a Hong Kong employment visa application subsequently? QUESTION Hi, I worked in Hong Kong last year, 2013, and left the city mid year after my work terminated. When I left, my company filed a IR56G “leaving Hong Kong” tax form for me with the IRD. However, I […] Keep Reading...>

March 15th, 2024

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...>

March 14th, 2024

I’m often asked how feasible business investment visas are for foreign nationals seeking to establish a new technology start up here. Bootstrappping and running Lean can be a double edged sword as a foreign national starting up in Hong Kong… The actual extent of the challenge is, in fact, no more onerous than it has […] Keep Reading...>

March 13th, 2024

In this section of the talk, I talk about the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) – this much maligned programme that is ‘on the books’ so we continue to provide coverage of it (of course!) On March 21, 2014 I gave a presentation at the Chinese Club entitled Business Immigration to Hong Kong – A Practical […] Keep Reading...>

March 12th, 2024

In this short piece, I discuss the impact on our practice when clients leave their Hong Kong visa extension applications to the very last minute! In this occasional series of commentary, I provide a peek inside our professional practice and offer a glimpse of what it’s like to be part of the Hong Kong Visa Centre team. […] Keep Reading...>

March 11th, 2024

In this post, I talk about  the Hong Kong unconditional stay and when it might be useful to you. Hong Kong unconditional stay plays a lesser yet still important role in immigration status to acquire in the HKSAR today… On March 21, 2014 I gave a presentation at the Chinese Club entitled Business Immigration to Hong Kong – A […] Keep Reading...>

March 10th, 2024

I have given this talk around town for the last couple of years now and so pleased to finally add it to our coverage of the Hong Kong investment visa, specifically discussing the Hong Kong investment visa for Mainland Chinese applicants. The talk was graciously hosted at WYND Co-working Space, ran by a group of great people […] Keep Reading...>

March 9th, 2024

An old chestnut this question which comes up time and time again about getting a Hong Kong work visa with no degree – albeit this time in the context of a technical apprenticeship undertaken straight out of senior high school. QUESTION  OF  THE  WEEK I moved to Hong Kong from France one month ago. I […] Keep Reading...>

March 8th, 2024

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...>

March 7th, 2024

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...>

March 6th, 2024

UPDATE: March 5, 2024 This article tries to clarify the impact of a criminal record on your application for a Hong Kong residence visa Used to be no – but now the game has completely changed. Criminal records now must be disclosed across all visa types. Every now and again the question of criminal convictions […] Keep Reading...>

March 5th, 2024

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...>

March 4th, 2024

This post on how to apply for a Hong Kong investement visa without paying for professional help deals with the differences between  work visa vs investment visa. I have given this talk around town for the last couple of years now and so pleased to finally add it to our coverage of the Hong Kong investment […] Keep Reading...>

March 3rd, 2024

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...>

March 2nd, 2024

Over the last 20 years or so I have coined a number of phrases in Hong Kong Immigration parlance, amongst which what I call the Visa Gossip & Rumours QUESTION  OF  THE  WEEK In this short video, I discuss the hoary old chestnut of Visa Gossip & Rumours Despite the passing of more than eight years […] Keep Reading...>

March 1st, 2024

No way, for sure not  – it simply is not the way the process works… Your Hong Kong employment visa belongs to you, not your employer. They are just responsible for the sponsorship. If the relationship with your employer sours for any reason and your employment terminates this is what happens to your visa: – […] Keep Reading...>

February 28th, 2024

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...>

February 27th, 2024

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...>

February 26th, 2024

This article presents solutions to missing periods of residence when it comes about a Hong Kong Right of Abode Application The essential approvability test for a Hong Kong Right of Abode application is that you have been continuously and ordinarily resident in the HKSAR for a period of not less than 7 years AND that you […] Keep Reading...>

February 25th, 2024

IANG Work Visa for Non-Local Graduates If you’re a non-local graduate looking to kickstart your career in Hong Kong, you will be eligible to apply for the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) work visa. The IANG work visa was established in 2008 to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, contributing to Hong Kong’s competitive […] Keep Reading...>

February 24th, 2024

The vexed question of dependant visas for mainland spouses of Hong Kong permanent residents QUESTION  OF  THE  WEEK I am a Hong Kong  PR (Canadian, been in Hong Kong for 9 years now working as a CPA) and recently married a PRC resident, who is a senior manager in a bank in Shanghai. What kind […] Keep Reading...>

February 23rd, 2024

Just how ‘flexible is the Hong Kong investment visa? QUESTION  I’m Swedish and currently in the process of applying for a Hong Kong investment visa. In addition, I have an interview for a consulting position with another organization. They will not support me with an employment visa and have asked me if I can also […] Keep Reading...>

February 22nd, 2024

10 Must Have Resources For A Hong Kong Legal Dependant Visa First Published July 1, 2013 and updated December 15, 2023 – But The Advice Holds Good Today Continuing our series of 10 Must Have Resources, I have put together this list of materials from our various websites which is designed to help steer you through the […] Keep Reading...>

February 21st, 2024

How & Why Hong Kong Seeks To Attract Foreign National Talent Globalization has led to a seemingly endless trend of migration of people around the world. This includes the international movement of highly skilled workers, including specialists, researchers, business executives, managers and inter-company transferees. Much of the motivation on the part of these professionals is […] Keep Reading...>

February 20th, 2024

The Path To Hong Kong Residency & Our Fantastic Low Tax Regime First Published June 4, 2012 Hong Kong has an open and flexible immigration policy that promotes and simplifies the relocation of foreign nationals possessing employment skills, business expertise, and capital to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Moreover, their family members (spouse […] Keep Reading...>

February 19th, 2024

Can I Get A Depedant Visa For An Elderly Parent If I Have A Permanent HK ID Card? I get 30-40 questions each week and not all of them merit a podcast answer. Some are answered quickly via email and for the next few days I’ll post some of these anonymised replies here. A Depedant […] Keep Reading...>

February 18th, 2024

I Lived In Hong Kong For 11 Years – And Have Been Gone For The Last 7 – Can I Still Get Permanent Residency? First Published July 11, 2018 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 […] Keep Reading...>

February 17th, 2024

Is It A Good Or A Bad Sign That The HKID Keep Coming Back With Further Requests For Information? 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 […] Keep Reading...>

February 16th, 2024

How Important Are Employment Testimonials In A Hong Kong QMAS Visa Application? 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 […] Keep Reading...>

February 15th, 2024

I Was Convicted Of A Crime And Removed From Hong Kong – How Do My Visa Options Look Now? 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, […] Keep Reading...>

February 14th, 2024

What Pathways To An Employment Visa Exist For A Fresh, Foreign University Graduate Arriving In Hong Kong Seeking Career Opportunities Here? 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 […] Keep Reading...>

February 13th, 2024

Is There Any Special Visa Type For Foreign National Media Professionals Seeking To Live & Freelance In Hong Kong? 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 […] Keep Reading...>

February 12th, 2024

13 – How To Apply For A Hong Kong Investment Visa Without Any Professional Help – The Catch 22 – First Published February 28, 2013 – But The Advice Holds Good Today On January 17, 2013 I gave a talk at Centre O in Wanchai on how to go about applying for a Hong Kong business investment visa without […] Keep Reading...>

February 11th, 2024

The Right of Abode & Permanent Residence For Foreign Children In Hong Kong What is the situation as regards the Right of Abode & Permanent Residence for foreign children in Hong Kong when they reach 21 years of age? Clearing up the confusion as to HKID cards at 11, 18 and what happens at 21? […] Keep Reading...>

February 10th, 2024

The Hong Kong Immigration Department Shed Some Light On Talent Attraction Endeavours Hong Kong Visa Approval Rate: Balancing Security and Global Talent This post was prompted by an article appearing yesterday in the South China Morning Post. Summary: The immigration policies of Hong Kong are strategically designed to prioritize security and prosperity while also attracting […] Keep Reading...>

February 9th, 2024

How Do Foreign National Children Resident In Hong Kong For 7 Years Go On To Acquire Permanent Residency Here? 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 […] Keep Reading...>

February 7th, 2024

What Chance of Approval For A 3-6 Month Intern Visa For Hong Kong & What Documents Are Needed? 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 […] Keep Reading...>

February 6th, 2024

Joining In A Side Business In Hong Kong – An Obvious Visa Solution For Certain Types Of Employed Professionals 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 […] Keep Reading...>

February 5th, 2024

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