Moving Services in Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong requires getting a visa. Student visas and tourist visas are easy to get, but work visas from Hong Kong are more difficult. Citizens of many countries, including the US, do not need a visa to visit the country for as long as 180 days. Sovereignty of Hong Kong was returned to China by Britain in 1997, so visas need to be obtained from the Chinese consulate in one's home country.

 

Getting a work visa for Hong Kong entails having a job waiting from an employer in Hong Kong. The employer must prove that the candidate has special skills that are unavailable in Hong Kong. The application is filed by the employer with a four to six week waiting time. If successful, employees who are granted a Hong Kong work visa may then apply for a dependent visa for their spouse and children under 18 as well. In addition, those who are self employed may qualify for an investment visa, but this involves submitting massive amounts of paperwork to establish credentials.

 

Permanent residence status is available after living in Hong Kong for seven years, but proficiency in Cantonese language is a requirement. There are an assortment of other visas including the Capital Investment Entrants, Domestic Helper visas, Freelancer's visa, Training visa, and, just for citizens of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, there is the Working Holiday Visa.

See our guides

• Moving to Hong Kong