Hong Kong SAR: Immigration Department Extends Online Services to All Visa Applications

Online filing was initially restricted to only a few immigration applications.

Now, the Immigration Department allows applicants to complete the entire visa application process online, including application submission and payment and collection of visa/entry permits.

Despite the extension of electronic services to all visa application types, existing physical filing methods remain unchanged and allow filing by mail or in person at an Immigration Office. Visa eligibility criteria and fees also remain unchanged at this time.

• Past Hong Kong SAR initiatives. The Immigration Department has taken a staged approach to introduce electronic services for visa applications, with the implementation of the ‘e-Visa’ arrangement in 2021, which allows for online payment of the visa fee and electronic issuance of an ‘e-Visa’, which removes the need physical labels for entry visa/permit and extension of stay.     
• Regional trends. Hong Kong SAR’s expansion of electronic services to all visa application types reflects the digitization trend that is being seen across the APAC region:
  • Japan, where the government introduced a new single-entry 90-day e-visa for business travel, visiting relatives and tourism for U.S. nationals in the United States and Canadian nationals in Canada;
  • Thailand, where the government introduced new immigration rules allowing certain high-potential foreign nationals, including remote workers for well-established overseas companies, to apply for a 10-year long-term term resident visa to compliment the new digital economy the government envisions.
  • Taiwan ROC, where the government is accepting submissions for Alien Resident Certificate applications online from foreign nationals and their dependents; and
  • China, which has been integrating all government services and applications into a uniform and streamlined online platform and is likely to move most online work permit related applications online soon.

The purpose of the measures announced by the Chief Executive is to turn Hong Kong SAR into a smart city, and to transition all government services online within two years.

Fragomen will continue to monitor the implementation of electronic services in Hong Kong SAR and will provide updates as more information becomes available.