Feel like shopping for quality at affordable prices? Hong Kong is your destination. Tourists from all over the world travel to the country on a Hong Kong tourist visa to shop for products of famous brands for cheaper prices. Hong Kong is flecked with exceptional skyscrapers and ‘The Peak’ is from where you get a look at this architectural wonder.
There are certain formalities that are to be followed when you are travelling to another country as a tourist. A tourist visa for Hong Kong is to the travellers who wish to experience leisure and tourism in the country. The holder is permitted to tour the country for sightseeing, visiting museums and exhibitions, attending concerts, and other such leisure activities. The validity of the permit depends on the requirement and the method through which the visa was obtained. Stay permitted with pre-arrival registration (PAR) is for 14 days and can be changed or extended depending on the Immigration Officer.
Application to get a tourist visa for Hong Kong is to be made with pre-arrival registration (PAR). It is a mandatory procedure to be followed by Indian applicants. However, it is important that you match the eligibility criteria to get this permit. The process for application with PAR is as follows:
At the time of providing details for PAR, you need to make sure that the information provided is correct and matches with the details on the passport. If you fail to do so, there are chances that PAR will fail as well. Therefore, it is safer if you consider professional assistance.
If PAR doesn’t work, you can apply offline to the Hong Kong Immigration Department directly. This process is to be followed upon failing of the PAR system as PAR is compulsory for applications for Hong Kong tourist visa from India. The offline process is given as follows:
The documents can also be faxed directly to the Immigration Department to save time, however, you will still have to air mail the original application form and the photograph. When you are filling out the offline application form, you need to ensure that the information is correct and the details match the documentary proof that is provided. If there are any kind of flaws related to the information, there are chances that you may have to face visa rejection which can affect your future applications to get a permit for Hong Kong or any other country. You can always consider professional assistance for the same.
There are certain criteria that need to be fulfilled at the time of applying for a Hong Kong tourist visa from India. A set of parameters that make you eligible for this permit are given as follows:
The requirements to issue a tourist visa for Hong Kong will differ depending on the process that you follow. The differentiated Hong Kong tourist visa requirements are listed as follows:
For PAR, the time required can be measured in mere minutes, about 10 minutes to 30 minutes maximum. The result for the same will be shown immediately and you can print the Notification Slip. The offline procedure takes about 4 weeks of processing and may even take longer based on certain factors.
The fee for the issuance of a tourist visa for Hong Kong depends on the procedure that you follow. With PAR, you will have to pay the fee after arrival to the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) as PAR is free of cost. The Hong Kong tourist visa Fees for the offline permit, that is acquired without PAR is to be paid before air mailing the documents and the form to the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
At the time of submission of the documents and after the submission, there are certain things that you need to keep in mind. Some of the pointers are as follows:
The status of the offline visa label can be checked online on the Hong Kong Immigration website. In the case of PAR, you will have the Notification Slip as soon as you are registered. This Notification Slip is useful for multiple entries and can be reprinted if lost.
After the completion of PAR, or when you have the Hong Kong tourist visa label, there are certain things that you need to remember when you are travelling to the country. Some of the pointers are given as follows:
In order to extend your tourist visa to Hong Kong, you first need a documentary proof for your purpose of extension. You can then apply to the Extension Section of the Immigration Department. Generally, if approved, the extension process is complete within the same day. You will be granted an extension depending on the validity of your existing permit.
You are not allowed to stay in the country after your visa has expired. If you need to stay any longer, you can apply for an extension within the expiration of your permit. Else, it is only safer to leave the country in time because if you are caught without a valid permit, there are chances that you will be fined and even banned from the country in serious cases.
A medical test is a health examination performed by an authorized doctor to ensure that the applicant does not possess any kind of contagious diseases. These do not just include HIV/AIDS, but also other contagious diseases that can spread. However, this medical test is not necessarily required to get a tourist visa for Hong Kong. These are mandated for the long term visas and are generally not compulsory for all types of short term visas.
No, you are not permitted to convert one type of permit to another and hence, you cannot convert your tourist visa for Hong Kong into a work permit. You may be allowed to do any kind of volunteer work in the country as a tourist, but for paid employment, you will have to issue a work permit separately.
The amount that is required in your savings bank account is not specified clearly by the Immigration Department. There may be requirements as per the type of your visa and whether the visa is a long term or a short term visa. You may need to confirm this information once you know what kind of visa you require. The requirements may change based on several factors, even for a tourist visa for Hong Kong.
For PAR, you apply as long before you require since it is valid for 6 months or at least as long the validity of your passport if it is valid for less than 6 months. As in for the offline procedure, since it takes about 4 weeks, it is essential that you need to apply at least 8 to 12 weeks before the intended date of travel.