Hong Kong Student Visa

As one of the most popular study destinations in Asia for international students, Hong Kong boasts a very low crime rate, highly regarded universities, and a perfectly blended blend of traditional and modern cultures. Students do not need to learn the local language to study in Hong Kong because the majority of courses are taught in English, which is widely spoken in the nation.

Choosing a Course

Hong Kong offers a wide range of courses and is home to several internationally renowned universities. A few of the well-liked courses are listed below:

• Accounting
• Finance
• Marketing
• Architecture
• International Relations
• Computer Science
• Environmental Science
• Engineering

Who Needs to Apply for the Student Visa?

Any foreign student wishing to pursue their studies in Hong Kong must obtain an entry permit or visa. The student visa does, however, have some exceptions. The individuals listed below are exempt from applying for a student visa:

• Inhabitants of Taiwan and the Chinese mainland
• Former residents of Mainland China who were not established in the Macau Special Administrative Region by January 14, 1979
• Individuals who are citizens of Afghanistan, Cambodia, Cuba, Laos, Korea (Democratic People's Republic of), Nepal, and Vietnam.

Eligibility for Hong Kong Student Visa

• The applicant should be admitted to a private school registered under the Education Ordinance or Post-Secondary Colleges Ordinance. Entry to study in public or government-aided schools is not permitted.
• The applicant must be registered for a full-time locally-accredited program, which may include part-time or short-term post-graduate programs (or above).
• The applicant is admitted as part of an exchange program in full-time local programs at the primary level for not more than 6 months or not more than one year at the undergraduate or above level.
• The applicant must be between the ages of 5 years and 8 months to 11 for primary education. For university and secondary education, the applicant has to be below 20 years of age at the time of application.

Cost of Hong Kong Student Visa

A Hong Kong student visa costs HK$230. However, additional fees for visas could apply based on the nation, university, etc. For the same information, students should contact the Hong Kong embassy or consulate in their country.

Steps to Applying for a Hong Kong Student Visa

To obtain a visa to study in Hong Kong, international students who are not exempt must take the following steps.

Applying to a Chosen University and Receiving a Letter of Acceptance

Any foreign students who wish to study in the nation must first select the university of their choice. They will learn more about application deadlines, program-specific requirements, and admissions requirements by getting in touch with the selected university. After confirming that they meet the requirements for admission, the applicants must apply to the university, submit their application, and receive a letter of acceptance.

Nominating a Local Sponsor in Hong Kong

The first step in the application process for a student visa is to designate a local sponsor. An individual or the educational institution granting the acceptance can serve as a local sponsor. If the local sponsor is an individual, then the person should be:

• at least eighteen years old
• a legitimate resident of Hong Kong
• acquainted with the applicant
• financially able to support and house the applicant.

Filling out the Application Forms

The application form ID 995A must be filled out by applicants. The applicants' sponsors need to fill out application form ID 995B. The application forms (ID 995A and ID 995B) can be obtained free of cost from Immigration Department Headquarters, Immigration Branch Offices, Government offices of the HKSAR outside of Hong Kong and Overseas Chinese diplomatic and consular missions or forms are available for download from the website of the Immigration Department.

Each dependent who is traveling with the applicant must fill out and sign Part B of application form ID 995A. It needs to be signed by the applicant's parent or legal guardian if the dependent child is under sixteen.

Gathering the Documents and Beginning the Application Process

The application forms (ID 995A and ID 995B), along with any supporting documentation, should be filled out signed, and delivered to the relevant officials.
Documents Required While Applying for Hong Kong Student Visa:

• Form ID 995A, completed and signed by the applicant
• Form ID 995B, completed and signed by the sponsor
• A photocopy of the applicant's letter of admission from a university in Hong Kong and the letter of acceptance to the specific course.
• Photocopy of Passport.
• A photocopy of Identity Card/travel document which contains personal credentials
• One passport-sized recent photograph.
• Photocopy of Highest Public Examination/Academic Result along with transcripts, awards, and certificates.
• Photocopy of other qualifications such as IELTS or TOEFL (which is required for applicants whose mother tongue is not English; UK and US natives may not need it).
• Proof of the applicant's financial condition. Proof of scholarship funds, bank statements, passbooks, etc. (This is to prove that they can afford education and living expenses in Hong Kong. The estimated tuition fee is between HK$90,000 and HK$265,000 depending on the educational program under consideration).
• Evidence of the student's accommodation arrangement in Hong Kong. An undertaking by the sponsor detailing they will provide accommodation to the applicant can also do the needful.

The application and forms can be submitted in one of two modes. The application can be sent to the closest Chinese consular and diplomatic missions in the applicant's home country, together with any supporting documentation or it can be sent to the following address in Hong Kong by the applicant or their sponsor:
Receipt and Despatch Sub-Unit
Hong Kong Immigration Department
2/F, Immigration Tower
7 Gloucester Road Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Waiting for the Decision

After all necessary paperwork is submitted, the processing of a study visa or entry permit application typically takes six weeks. Until all necessary paperwork and information is submitted, the Immigration Department will not be able to begin processing the application. After an application is approved, a visa or entry permit label will be provided. The sponsor is responsible for obtaining it from the Immigration Department and forwarding it to the approved applicant. Visas and entry permits for applications submitted to the Immigration Division of the SHETO, the Beijing Office Immigration Division, or the relevant Chinese diplomatic and consular mission will be granted by the respective Immigration Division of the SHETO, the Beijing Office Immigration Division, or the relevant Chinese diplomatic and consular mission, as applicable.

Steps to be Taken to Renew the Student Visa in Hong Kong

To continue their studies in the HKSAR, individuals who have been admitted may apply for an extension of stay, if required, no later than four weeks before their stay limit expires. Only when the applicants continue to meet the requirements for admission to study will such applications be taken into consideration. If granted, an extension of stay will often be granted for a year or the length of their studies, as appropriate.

In Hong Kong, there are two methods to apply for a student visa extension. On the website of the immigration department, the application can be submitted through the online portal. The application may also be sent by mail to the immigration department offices, together with the completed and signed form and any supporting documentation. By completing a separate form, the applicant's sponsor may also apply for the extension of their visa on the applicant's behalf. The fee for extension of visa is HK$ 230.
Documents Required for Application for Extension of Student Visa:

• A duly completed application form ID 91
• The applicant's travel document
• The applicant's HK Identity Card
• A letter from the institution confirming that the student requires an extension of stay to continue the same study program and indicating the remaining duration of the study program and the expected date of graduation.

Working While Studying in Hong Kong

In an effort to draw talent and advance Hong Kong's status as a regional center for education, restrictions on internships, part-time jobs, and summer employment for non-local students have been loosened.

Non-local students enrolled in full-time, locally accredited undergraduate programs, whether local or not, with a study period of at least one academic year, are eligible to apply for internships as long as they meet certain requirements. These include internships being related to the curriculum and studies, being organized or endorsed by the academic institutions they attend, and having a maximum duration of one academic year, or one-third of the typical length of the relevant full-time academic program, whichever is shorter.

Non-local students enrolled in full-time, locally accredited sub-degree local programs with a study period of at least two academic years are also able to apply to take an internship, provided that the requirements are fulfilled. These requirements include the internship being required, relevant to the study or curriculum, organized or endorsed by the academic institutions they are attending, and having a maximum duration of six months.

During the duration of their stay limit, non-local students (apart from exchange students) enrolled full-time in locally accredited undergraduate or graduate programs with a study period of at least one academic year are able to work in the following ways:

• Work a maximum of 20 hours per week as a part-time employee on campus.
• Accept employment during the summer, from June 1 to August 31, with no restrictions on work hours or location.

However, the government has decided to relax these work restrictions for postgraduate students who are foreign nationals, effective November 1, 2023. This relaxation is only for a two-year trial period, ending October 31, 2025. A No Objection Letter (NOL) permitting employment will be issued to each eligible student individually. Students who obtain a study visa on or after November 1, 2023, will also receive this NOL in addition to their visa.

Some Things to Remember

• Scholarships abound for students to help finance their studies and living expenses in Hong Kong.
• The institutions' list can be found here, along with a list of registered and exempt courses.
• If a document is not in Chinese or English, it must be accompanied by a translation that has been verified as accurate by a sworn translator, court translator, authorized public translator, certified translator, expert translator, or official.