Hong Kong Student Visa

How to Apply for a Student Visa in Hong Kong

General Guidelines For Non-Residents Planning to Study in Hong Kong

We appreciate that not everyone will want to take the easy route and apply for their HK study visa with us, so we have compiled the following Q&A guidelines to help all non-residents who plan to study in Hong Kong.

For persons who wish to enter the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) for study, click here for the full official entry requirements.

Do I Need a Student Visa to Study in Hong Kong?

The first step is to check the visa rules. According to HKSAR Immigration Dept, all non-local students need one, whether they come for a short course, exchange programme or full-time study. If you happen to be holding a valid HKID card such as given to dependents of HK residents then you can stop reading and go and study! For the rest of us, a visa is needed.

Right…So I’ll Just Go To My Local China Consulate And Pick Up A Student Visa, Yes?

Wooohhh, slow down. It’s not that simple. The first step is to find a school and a course that suits you. There are plenty of choices in Hong Kong, but you need a full-time course to get the study visa.

What Is a Full-Time Course in Hong Kong?

Generally, this is a course of 15 hours or more per week. Schools registered with the Education Department in Hong Kong offering full-time or intensive study of 15 hours per week or more should be able to help you with your student visa.

How Do I Find A Suitable School in Hong Kong?

The same way as you found Q Language……Internet search! It’s the best way as Hong Kong is a fast-paced city and things can change. Just make sure that when you do find a suitable school you ask the question “Can you provide a student visa for me?”

If the School doesn’t know what you are talking about or doesn’t give you a positive reply then get back online and look again. Good schools will guide you immediately on this topic.

OK…Let’s Say I Find A School in Hong Kong…How Do I Actually Apply For A Study Visa?

The School will issue an Acceptance Letter and advise on the required documents. Most good schools have a dedicated staff member to help you with the process. The list of documents needed is usually this:

a) Passport copy (make sure you have validity until after the end date of your course)

b) One recent colour photo of yourself (no holiday snaps please.. just similar to your passport photo)

c) Copies of your academic documents – usually high school and above is needed. Don’t forget to make certified translations if not in English or Chinese. Immigration won’t even try to read your Russian or Spanish high school records!

d) Copies of any work records – this only applies if you have been working for one year or more. So, no need to submit your weekend car washing or newspaper delivery jobs! Again, make sure you have English or Chinese translations

e) Financial statements – now this is a tricky subject. The HK Immigration Dept doesn’t specify how much money you should have available. However, as a general rule, calculate your total monthly housing rental and school fee plus your food and travel expenses for the whole course. Next, make sure you have this much money available in a bank.

Of course, many of you don’t have these kind of funds sitting in your bank. So, it is also possible to nominate a financial sponsor. Your financial sponsor can be a family member, boyfriend or girlfriend or employer, etc.

You just need their bank statement plus ID such as passport, and a letter written to explain that they will support you for the duration of the course. Check with your chosen School in Hong Kong for a sample of this letter as they should help you with this to make sure the content is correct

f) CV – just a simple one. List out all study and work. Include your home address and phone number. Don’t worry, Immigration won’t call your Mum to check if it is all true. Just make sure the details match your documents

g) Hong Kong Travel Statement – if you have been to HK before, just write a list of previous dates and the purpose of your visit(s). This information helps Immigration check your records to speed up the process

h) Accommodation proof – as you will need somewhere to live in HK, you will need to make some arrangement of this to show Immigration. If you have no idea of the housing, just ask the School. They will have options for you for sure

i) Letter of Purpose – it is best to include a letter to say why you wish to study on your chosen course in Hong Kong. Again, don’t worry too much about this as the School should provide a sample to make it easy for you

Is There A Hong Kong Student Visa Application Form?

Yes, aside from the above documents, you need to complete a Hong Kong study visa application form (called an ID995A form) found here. Note, it can be a bit tricky to complete so, again, ask the School to help. It is their job to ensure you submit a correct application as they need you!

What Do I Do With All These Documents?

Well, the best way is to send to the School directly by email or deliver by hand. Don’t send directly to Immigration Dept in HK or any overseas Consulate unless instructed to do so by the School. Immigration will probably ignore it if it hasn’t been submitted properly.

What Happens Next?

Within 10 – 14 days of submission, the School will receive an acknowledgement letter from Immigration. This letter will include a reference number. Receipt of this letter means all systems are go, and the HK Immigration Dept are processing your visa. With the reference number, you can check the application process online.

How Long Does It Take To Get A Hong Kong Student Visa?

Well, it is usually a 6 to 8-week process. The HK Immigration Dept issue some visas within six weeks while others take longer. The reason for this is that the Immigration Dept Case Officer dealing with your application might decide more information is needed. So, if the School contacts you for more documents, don’t worry too much. It is quite normal, and usually it is something simple.

How Long Is The Study Visa Validity?

Your HK student visa is only valid for the duration of your course. 6-month course = 6-month visa etc.

Is the Student Visa Emailed To Me?

Hong Kong issues 'e-visas' to save you time & stress. Once your visa is approved, our staff will send you the link to download the visa. Just save this on your phone or print out before you come to Hong Kong.

How Do I Actually Activate The Study Visa?

Easy one. Just come into Hong Kong and show your visa on your phone or the paper copy. The friendly Immigration officer will update your arrival on their system and pass you a visa receipt..

Hong Kong Student Visa Extension – Is it possible to get an extension of stay in Hong Kong?

Sure, you can obtain an extension of stay visa quite easily in HK. The School will help with that, of course. Just make sure you tell your School at least four weeks before the expiry date or it won’t be possible. And don’t overstay your visa expiry date or that will be the end of your study in Hong Kong for a long, long time!

Great! Anything Else I Need To Know About Study Visas In Hong Kong?

Yes, we are not finished yet! The good news is that if you are taking a course of 6 months or more, you will also receive a Hong Kong Identity Card. Having this is very useful as you can use Government hospitals and other facilities almost free of charge! Also, if you want to open a bank account, this HKID card will make your life much easier.

Perfect! And The Bad News?

Well, you need to note the following

a) No changing to another school or course! The Immigration Department issue the visa for a particular school or course only.

b) Don’t break the law. Sounds like common sense but in HK doing so can result in your student visa being cancelled and you will need to leave. So, be a good citizen and behave!

c) Attend your lessons regularly! The School can cancel your visa if you don’t turn up!

Hong Kong Student Visa & Work

Am I allowed to work in Hong Kong whilst on a study visa?

The general rule is, No Working! There are a few exceptions if you are enrolled at a university on a degree course, but you can’t go and get a job while on a student visa like in other countries. Hong Kong has plenty of people so doesn’t need you to work in restaurant or bar, I’m afraid.

Visiting Hong Kong Visa Requirements

If I’m Just Visiting Hong Kong Do I Need A Visa Too – and if so, where can I get a Hong Kong Visa Application Form?

We love tourists in Hong Kong and for most of you, Hong Kong is visa-free for 14 – 90 days. However, this will depend on your passport and nationality.check this HK Government ad

Also, the Covid-19 pandemic has obviously changed things dramatically for all inbound travel to Hong Kong. With this in mind, we advise you to check this HK Government website before travelling to Hong Kong.

And here’s the link for the Hong Kong visa application form download .

Wow!… Thank You For Such A Thorough Guide….

Our pleasure. We look forward to seeing you in Hong Kong. 😉