VISAS

Employment Visa

  • If you have a close connection with Hong Kong by birth or residence (i.e. have the “right of abode” or “right to land” in Hong Kong), you may not require a visa to work in Hong Kong.
  • Visitors are by law not allowed to take up employment, whether paid or unpaid, and a visitor visa is not a legally valid document for employment. The University cannot therefore permit an appointee to commence duty unless an employment visa has been obtained, and validated upon the appointee’s entry to Hong Kong.
  • If you need an employment visa to take up your appointment, the Human Resources Office will assist you in submitting your first visa application to the Hong Kong Immigration Department. The employment visa application form (ID990A) and the Guidebook for Entry for Employment as Professionals in Hong Kong (published by the Hong Kong Immigration Department) should have been sent to you together with your Letter of Appointment. They are also available on the website of the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
  • The completed visa application form should be sent to the Human Resources Office together with all the required supporting documents as stated in the Guidebook. The University will act as the sponsor of your visa application but will not be responsible for any charges involved.
  • Application for visas should be made about 8 weeks prior to your departure. The University will send the visa label to you by courier service.

Important note: As the Hong Kong Immigration Department requires travel documents to have a minimum validity period, you should, before submitting your application, ensure that your travel document will be valid for at least 12 months from the date of commencement of duty in Hong Kong.

 

Dependent Visa

  • If your spouse and/or dependent children (unmarried and aged below 18) do not have the "right of abode" or "right to land" in Hong Kong, and if they wish to accompany you to Hong Kong, they are required to apply for dependent visas.
  • You may submit applications for dependent visas for your spouse and/or dependent children together with your application for employment visa by completing Part B of employment visa application form (ID990A). You will be the sponsor of your spouse and/or dependent children's visa application.
  • As an alternative, your spouse and/or dependent children may submit the application for dependent visas separately to the Hong Kong Immigration Department. Details about individual applications for dependent visas are available on the website of the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
  • Holders of dependent visa (except those with "the condition of stay") may take up employment in Hong Kong without seeking permission from the Hong Kong Immigration Department.

 

Renewal of Employment Visa / Extension of Stay

  • On first arrival in Hong Kong, your employment visa will normally be granted with an initial stay of 24 months or in accordance with your contract duration (whichever is shorter).
  • Thereafter, you are required from time to time to apply to the Director of Immigration for permission to extend your stay in Hong Kong, approximately 4 weeks prior to the expiry of the visa, together with a statement from the University as the employer certifying that you are still in the employment of the University. The period of extension of stay will be determined at the discretion of the Hong Kong Immigration Department. It is important to note the expiry date of your employment visa and apply for its renewal about 4 weeks in advance.
  • For holders of Entry-Exit Permit for Travelling to & from Hong Kong and Macau (EEP) from the Mainland, applications for extension of the EEP may be made to the Public Security Bureau office in Shenzhen prior to the expiry of the permit.