Check up-to-date Hong Kong Visa Policy for your Country

Visa policy for Hong Kong

This page details Hong Kong’s visa policy — the various rules and regulations that govern the requirements for each nationality to visit the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

Due to its history and political status (the “one country, two systems” policy), the immigration and visa policy of Hong Kong is separate from that of the rest of the PRC.

Even though the HKSAR is officially part of the People’s Republic of China, there are immigration checkpoints between mainland China and Hong Kong, where passports and visas are checked.

Citizens of mainland China must have an Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau (also known as a Two-way Permit) unless they have right of abode in the HKSAR.

Close to 100 different nationalities require a Hong Kong visa in advance in order to enter the HKSAR. These can be acquired from a Chinese diplomatic mission, such as an embassy, in the traveler’s home country.

Nationals of 2 countries are required to complete Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR) for Hong Kong prior to traveling to the Special Administrative Region.

The PAR form must be completed online, avoiding the need to go to an embassy. Hong Kong PAR applications are typically processed very quickly.

Visitors from over 140 countries and territories may enter the HKSAR visa-free for a limited period of time. The maximum length of stay varies according to the nationality of the traveler.

See below for further information about the requirements for traveling to the HKSAR according to the Hong Kong visa policy.

Tourist Visa Policy for Hong Kong

Travelers from overseas visiting the HKSAR as a tourist may require a Hong Kong tourist visa, depending on their nationality.

There are 2 Pre-Arrival Registration systems for nationals of 2 countries to visit Hong Kong. These PARs permit entry to the HKSAR for the purpose of tourism, as well as for business, transit, or family visits.

The requirements for a Hong Kong PAR depend on the nationality of the traveler. Both types can be obtained by completing a simple online form.

A consular tourist visa for Hong Kong is required for visitors from around 100 different countries. The foreign national must visit their nearest Chinese embassy or consulate in order to apply.

According to Hong Kong visa policy, citizens of over 140 countries are exempt from visa requirements when visiting for the purpose of tourism.

However, the time such visitors can spend in the HKSAR without a Hong Kong visa is limited. For some nationalities, this limit is as short as 7 days, while others can spend up to 180 days. The majority of visa-exempt nationalities can stay for a maximum of 90 days.

Learn more about the requirements for your nationality to enter Hong Kong as a tourist below.

Hong Kong PAR for Indian Nationals

Hong Kong Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR) is a requirement for visitors traveling to the HKSAR with a standard Indian passport.

The HKSAR PAR for Indian citizens grants multiple entries to Hong Kong for the purposes of tourism, business, and visiting family. The PAR is also needed for transit on occasions when the traveler clears immigration.

The traveler may stay in the HKSAR for up to 14 days per visit with the PAR.

Indian nationals traveling to Hong Kong must register their details on the online PAR application form before going to the Special Administrative Region.

This involves submitting some basic personal details, a current email address, and passport information.

The process is quickly completed and the approved PAR notification slip is sent to the email account provided.

A copy should be printed and presented at the border of the HKSAR, along with the valid Indian passport used in the registration.

It is important that the same passport is used because the PAR is electronically linked to that passport. If the passport is lost, stolen, damaged, or otherwise rendered invalid before the traveler goes to Hong Kong, they must register again using their new passport.

Indian diplomatic and official passport holders are exempt from the PAR.

Find more information below about eligible nationalities for the Hong Kong PAR.

India

Hong Kong PAR India Info

Apply Online

Hong Kong PAR from Taiwan

A second Pre-Arrival Registration system for the HKSAR is available to nationals of Taiwan (also known as the Republic of China or ROC) who are official residents of their country.

Taiwanese nationals without household registration (for example those who were born outside the country and have never lived there) and dual-citizens who hold another passport are not eligible for the Hong Kong PAR.

The HKSAR PAR for Taiwanese visitors has a validity of 2 months and allows the holder to enter Hong Kong twice during this period.

A Taiwanese citizen may stay in the HKSAR for a maximum of 30 days per entry.

To apply for the PAR, eligible Taiwanese nationals must complete the online Pre-Arrival Registration form for Taiwan.

This simple form requires the applicant to register their personal information, passport details, and an email address. The Pre-arrival Registration Notification Slip is sent to this address, and should be printed by the traveler.

The Taiwanese traveler must present the PAR notification slip along with their ROC passport both when boarding a flight to the HKSAR and when passing through Hong Kong border control.

The same passport must be used for both the Pre-Arrival Registration and for traveling to Hong Kong.

See below more information about who can apply for the PAR for Hong Kong.

Embassy or Consular Visa Required for Hong Kong

Nearly 100 different nationalities must apply for a Hong Kong visa in advance of traveling to the HKSAR for any reason.

Embassy visas for Hong Kong can be obtained by applying in person at a Chinese embassy. Overseas diplomatic missions of the PRC are responsible for issuing visas for the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, in addition to those for mainland China.

All foreign nationals who wish to relocate to Hong Kong or work or study in the HKSAR must also obtain the relevant visas and permits from a PRC embassy, regardless of nationality.

Travelers who are citizens of visa-exempt countries who wish to stay in Hong Kong for a period of time exceeding the length of time permitted without a visa must also apply for one at an embassy.

See below the list of nationalities that require an embassy visa for Hong Kong for any type and length of visit.

Afghanistan
Aland Islands
American Samoa
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Aruba
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Bermuda
Bonaire
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
China
Christmas Island
Cocos Islands
Congo
Cook Islands
Cuba
Curacao
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greenland
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guernsey
Guinea Bissau
Iran
Iraq
Isle of Man
Ivory Coast
Jersey
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Martinique
Mayotte
Moldova
Montserrat
Myanmar
Nepal
New Caledonia
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
Northern Mariana Islands
Pakistan
Palestinian Territory
Pitcairn Islands
Puerto Rico
Reunion
Rwanda
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Togo
Tokelau
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
United States Virgin Islands
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Yemen

Get Embassy Info

Transit Visa Required for Hong Kong

Nationals of countries who require a consular visa for Hong Kong must have a visa when transiting through the HKSAR.

Overseas travelers from some countries only need a Hong Kong visa for transit if they pass through immigration, for example if their onward flight is some time away and they wish to leave the airport.

However, if such foreign nationals remain in the airport transit area, they do not require a visa.

On the other hand, travelers of certain nationalities require a transit visa for Hong Kong even if they remain airside and do not pass through immigration.

See which nationalities fall into this category below.

Visa Not Required for Hong Kong

International travelers of over 140 nationalities are eligible to enter Hong Kong without a visa and stay in the HKSAR for a certain length of time.

Different nationalities have different limits on the maximum period of time they can spend in the Special Administrative Region.

Citizens of around 35 countries may stay in the HKSAR visa-free for up to 14 days; citizens of around 25 countries can stay for a maximum of 30 days; around 85 nationalities can remain in Hong Kong for up to 90 days.

Visitors from a select few countries and territories may stay for as long as 180 days, while a small number of others have a limit of only 7 days.

Travelers of all of these nationalities only enjoy visa exemption for visits as tourists or for certain business purposes. If such an individual wishes to go to Hong Kong for other purposes, such as to live or work there, or stay for longer than the permitted visa-free time, they must obtain the relevant type of Hong Kong visa.

Check which nationalities can visit the HKSAR without a visa for the purposes of tourism or business in the list below.

Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Bahrain
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Canada
Cape Verde
Chad
Chile
Colombia
Comoros
Costa Rica
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Estonia
Federated States of Micronesia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Germany
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Latvia
Lesotho
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Netherlands
New Zealand
Niger
Norway
Oman
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Republic of Cyprus
Romania
Russian Federation
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Seychelles
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor Leste
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Get Embassy Info

Other Visa Information for Hong Kong

Nationals of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) who are not Hong Kong residents require special travel documents in order to visit the Special Administrative Region, despite the fact that it is part of the PRC.

This is due to Hong Kong’s special political status and autonomy to decide its own immigration laws.

Chinese citizens from mainland China may enter the HKSAR and stay there for up to 7 days with an Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau (Two-way Permit).

Residents of the Macao Special Administrative Region are visa-exempt and may use a Macao passport or travel permit to spend up to 7 days in Hong Kong. Alternatively, a Macau Permanent Resident Identity Card or a Visit Permit for Residents of Macao to HKSAR may be used to stay in the HKSAR for up to 180 days.

Chinese nationals living in a third country must instead obtain an HKSAR Entry Permit, which can be obtained from Chinese embassies and consulates. The length of stay allowed with this permit varies between 2 weeks and 30 days.