The official figure provided by the Hong Kong Immigration Department of countries and territories granting visa-free access to Hong Kong SAR passport holders was 173 as of 4 February 2025. (However, this figure excludes countries and territories which are not officially recognised by the People's Republic of China, such as Kosovo, Taiwan and Somaliland, territories deemed to be under Chinese rule, such as Mainland China and Macao, as well as UN observer states, such as Palestine and Vatican City so the practical figure relevant to Hong Kong passport holders is actually much higher.) [3]
Due to the one country, two systems policy, the Government of Hong Kong can make a visa-waiver agreement for Chinese residents of Hong Kong with other countries. As a result of both bilateral visa abolition agreements (e.g. between Hong Kong and Russia[4]) and unilateral decisions to grant visa exemptions (e.g. Myanmar), HKSAR passport holders enjoy visa exemptions and simplified visa procedures to a large number of destinations worldwide. Whilst the visa exemptions are mostly only for short trips for pleasure or on business, a number of countries extend the visa exemption to short stays involving paid activities (e.g. Belgium and Luxembourg).
Entry to Mainland China cannot be on a HKSAR passport. However, all eligible for a HKSAR passport are also eligible to apply for a separate Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, otherwise and previously known as a Home Return Permit, or a Chinese Travel Document if the HKSAR passport holder does not reside in Greater China and is not in possession of a current MTP, allowing the holder to enter and stay in mainland China for indefinite period until its expiry for any purpose. Issuance of the MTP, however, is not guaranteed for all Chinese citizens of Hong Kong and is at the sole discretion of the Bureau of Exit and Entry Administration of the Ministry of Public Security of China.
Not born in Hong Kong/Macao but has travelled to Taiwan as a permanent resident of Hong Kong or Macao after 1983
Bearer of a valid Entry and Exit Permit
Permit is good for one entry to Taiwan within 3 months of the successful application. Confirmation letter must be printed and presented to Taiwan authorities upon arrival. Free of charge.
Additionally, if the applicant was born in the Chinese mainland, he/she must prove renunciation of Mainland Chinese citizenship and household registration by providing one the following documents:
Additionally, if the applicant was born in the Chinese mainland, he/she must prove renunciation of Mainland Chinese citizenship and household registration by providing one the following documents:
90 days on each visit in 12-month period if granted.
Starting from 21 August 2020, Hong Kong passport holders are eligible for applying 5 years student and temporary skilled visas after the enforcement of the national security law. After meeting the requirement of the 5 years stay, eligible visa holders can apply for permanent residence in the same manner like other nationalities.[18]
Dual nationality is recognized by Bolivia; however, this status must first be approved by Bolivian Immigration. Passengers holding dual nationality should ensure that they arrive and depart Bolivia on the same document, even when the other document may enjoy visa-exemption status.
Your chosen embassy will examine your file and make a decision. If the file is accepted, there are two options:
The visa is granted at our embassy. Such applicants will receive an electronic message for an appointment. The Applicant(s) must bring the original documents used in the pre-enrolment together with the passport, which mush have at least a minimum of 6 months validity. The visa will be affixed inside your passport.
An electronic authorization with a QR code will be provided to collect electronic parameters of those who cannot come to the embassy. Such people would be able to travel to Cameroon with a printed authorization. They will also have to bring along the original documents used for the pre-enrolment. Their parameters will be collected at the entry check point into Cameroon e.g. Airport or Sea port or any border post, and a six- month validity visa will be stamped into your passport.
Starting from 2021, Canada rolled out a new scheme for Hong Kong residents migrating to the country after the enforcement of the national security law. 3 years work permits will be available for those who were graduated from either a recognised Canadian or overseas post-secondary institution in the last ten years. In addition, two streams for permanent residency were provided - (1) persons who have graduated from a post-secondary designated learning institution in Canada. (2) persons who have worked in Canada for at least 12 months full time, or an equal amount of part-time hours. If approved, their spouse or partner as well as children can also apply to come with them.[48][49] Applicants will be eligible for applying Canadian Permanent residency in Canada.
HKSAR passport has right to get E-ETA free till 2025.
Chinese citizens of Hong Kong can enter South Korea as a short term visit (e.g., tours, visiting relatives or friends, attending simple meetings) up to 90 days without a visa. You must have an onward or return ticket. It is illegal to work on a tourist visa, whether as a teacher or in any other capacity.[128]
You must be in possession of a Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) to enter Korea visa-free. You can complete your K-ETA application up to 24 hours before boarding your flight and it will be valid for 3 years from the date of approval. There is a small, non-refundable charge.[128]
According to the information provided by of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan), HKSAR passport holders may visit Kyrgyzstan visa-free for a stay of up to 30 days entering through Manas International Airport in Bishkek with a return air ticket and re-enter after 30 days from the date of departure from Kyrgyzstan.[133]
Granted free of charge at Beirut International Airport or any other port of entry if there is no Israeli visa or seal, holding a telephone number, an address in Lebanon, and a non refundable return or circle trip ticket.
Holders of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa may be granted a New Zealand Resident Visa on arrival permitting indefinite stay (pursuant to the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement), subject to meeting character requirements and obtaining an Electronic Travel Authority prior to departure.[175] Such travellers are not required to pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy.[174]
A tourist visa costs US$30 and can normally be issued to the holder of a valid HKSAR passport on arrival at Dili International airport or Dili seaport, provided entry into Timor-Leste is regarded as being for a legitimate purpose. The visa will be valid for a single entry ONLY and will allow you to stay for up to 30 days.[239]
Chinese citizens of Hong Kong who do receive a visa are normally issued with 10-years multiple-entry combination B1/B2 visas, and each entry can stay for a maximum of 6 months (the period of stay is subject to the border immigration officer)
On 5 August 2021, President Joe Biden directed the Department of Homeland Security to implement a "deferral of removal" for up to 18 months for Hong Kong residents currently in the United States, in response to Beijing's implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law. Eligible Hong Kongers can apply for a work permit.[255] On 15 January 2025, the Biden administration extended the deferral of removal of Hong Kong residents who are present in the United States for another 24 months.[256]
Visa requirements for Chinese citizens of Hong Kong for visits to various territories, disputed areas, partially recognised countries and restricted zones:
Special permit required (4 days: 25 euro for Orthodox visitors, 35 euro for non-Orthodox visitors, 18 euro for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.[269][270]
Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[278] and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[279]
These states have their own immigration authorities and passport is required to travel to them, however the same visa applies.[304]
Maldives
Permission required
With the exception of the capital Malé, tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.[305]
Visa free for holders of both Hong Kong Permanent Identity Cards and HKSAR Passport for a stay of less than 45 days. Visa required if without Hong Kong Permanent Identity Cards.
Visa free for holders of both Hong Kong Permanent Identity Cards and HKSAR Passport for a stay of less than 45 days. Visa required if without Hong Kong Permanent Identity Cards.
1 - Up to 180 days 2 - Up to 90 days 3 - Up to 90 days in a period of 180 days 4 - Up to 60 days
Permanent residents with Chinese nationality (holders of HKSAR passport / BN(O) passport) are required to apply for a Mainland Travel Permit to enter Mainland China, to the exclusion of all other documents.
The card must be used in conjunction with a passport and has the following advantages:[364]
No need to apply for a visa or entry permit to APEC countries, as the card is treated as such (except by Canada and United States)
Undertake legitimate business in participating economies
Expedited border crossing in all member economies, including transitional members
Many countries have entry restrictions on foreigners that go beyond the common requirement of having either a valid visa or a visa exemption. Such restrictions may be health related or impose additional documentation requirements on certain classes of people for diplomatic or political purposes.
Blank passport pages
Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.[365] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being valid or available.
Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.[368][369]
Passport validity length
Very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a valid passport on arrival.
However many countries and groupings now require only an identity card – especially from their neighbours. Other countries may have special bilateral arrangements that depart from the generality of their passport validity length policies to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens[370][371] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).[372]
Some countries, such as Japan,[373] Ireland and the United Kingdom,[374] require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.
In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain,[375] Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,[376] Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru,[377] Philippines,[378] Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.[379]
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.
Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honduras, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand. Similarly, the EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all European Union countries (except Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.
Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.
Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives[380] and South Africa.
Maximum passport age
Countries of the Schengen area require non-EU passports to be less than 10 years old upon entry.[381] A number of holders of British passports, which until September 2018 could be issued with a validity period of up to 10 years and nine months if the previous passport was not expired, were unable to travel to the EU subsequent to Brexit due to this restriction.[382]
Criminal record
Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,[383] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record, while others impose restrictions depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.
Persona non grata
The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning them from entering the country or expelling them if they have already entered. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.[384]
Israeli stamps
Israeli border control Entry Permit (issued as a stand-alone document rather than a stamp affixed in a passport)
Kuwait,[385] Lebanon,[386] Libya,[387] and Yemen[388] do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.
To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22June2017[update]) stamped at Erez when passing into and out of Gaza.[citation needed]
Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.
Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to change planes rather than go landside.[389]
Fingerprinting countries/regions include Afghanistan,[390][391] Argentina,[392] Brunei, Cambodia,[393] China,[394] Ethiopia,[395] Ghana, Guinea,[396] India, Japan,[397][398] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),[399] Malaysia upon entry and departure,[400] Mongolia, Saudi Arabia,[401] Singapore, South Korea,[402] Taiwan, Thailand,[403] Uganda,[404] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by its own legislation),[405][406][407] intends to implement facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.[408]
Together with fingerprint and face recognition, iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in e-passports[409] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.[410][411]
↑ Visa on arrival obtainable at most international ports of entry and at most international land border crossings (except King Hussein/Allenby Bridge crossing).
1 2 "Paying the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy". immigration.govt.nz. Immigration New Zealand. Retrieved 1 February 2021. Many tourists, people on working holidays, and some students and workers coming to New Zealand must pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) of NZD $35.
↑ "Information about: Australian Resident Visa". immigration.govt.nz. Immigration New Zealand. Retrieved 21 May 2020. Australian citizens and permanent residents can visit, work and live in New Zealand. You do not need a visa before you travel to New Zealand.
↑ Baker, Vicky (20 June 2013). "Passport expiry dates and blank pages: what are the rules?". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2024. The number of remaining blank pages a passport should have is also an issue. Some travellers have reported arriving with one or less than one full page left and waiting for hours at immigration, until an official reluctantly grants them entry. The FCO lists no hard and fast rules because, in many cases, there aren't any.
↑ "Yellow Fever". Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). African Union. Retrieved 23 August 2021. African countries that requires (sic) Yellow Fever vaccination certificate: Countries that require vaccination for all travellers older that 9 months or 1 year: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameron, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte d'lvoire, DRC, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Niger, Togo.
↑ "Fièvre jaune" (in French). 2 September 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
↑ "Yellow Fever". Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). African Union. Retrieved 23 August 2021. African countries that requires Yellow Fever vaccination certificate: Countries that requires (sic) vaccination for travellers from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission or transit for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
↑ "Visitor Visa". travel.state.gov. US Department of State. Retrieved 13 January 2024. Passport valid for travel to the United States – Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements). Each individual who needs a visa must submit a separate application, including any family members listed in your passport.
↑ "Countries whose citizens are allowed to enter Turkey with their expired passports". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Republic of Turkey. Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2018. Countries whose citizens are allowed to enter Turkey with their expired passports: 1. Germany – Passports expired within the last year / ID's expired within the last year, 2. Belgium - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 3. France - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 4. Spain - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 5. Switzerland - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 6. Luxemburg - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 7. Portugal - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 8. Bulgaria – Valid ordinary passport
↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". Embassy of Japan in Malaysia. Retrieved 13 January 2024. Q: Do I need at least 6 months passport validity in order to enter Japan? A: Japan does not have any regulations relating to passport validity, so long as your passport will be valid until after you leave Japan.
↑ "Entering the UK". Gov.UK. Retrieved 17 March 2021. You're not from an EEA country: you must have a valid passport to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.
↑ Calder, Simon (24 April 2017). "Airline lobbying for a relaxation of draconian rules for London-Auckland travellers". The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Travellers heading west from the UK to New Zealand may soon be able to avoid the onerous requirement to clear US border control during the refuelling stop at Los Angeles airport (LAX). Unlike almost every other country in the world, the US insists on a full immigration check even for passengers who simply intend to re-board their plane to continue onwards to a foreign destination. Air New Zealand, which flies daily from Heathrow via Los Angeles to Auckland, says there are currently "strict requirements for travellers" in transit at LAX. Through passengers to Auckland on flight NZ1 or Heathrow on NZ2 must apply in advance for an ESTA (online visa) even though they have no intention of staying in the US. They also have to undergo screening by the Transportation Security Administration.
↑ "China to Start Fingerprinting Foreign Visitors". Air Canada. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Effective 27 April 2018, border control authorities at all of China's ports of entry, including its airports, will start collecting the fingerprints of all foreign visitors aged between 14 and 70. Diplomatic passport holders and beneficiaries of reciprocal agreements are exempted..
↑ "Immigration & Visas FAQs". Kenya Airports Authority. Retrieved 6 May 2019. Will visitors still have their digital photo and fingerprints taken at the immigration desk on arrival? Yes, the need to have photos and fingerprints taken upon arrival is to authenticate that the person who applied for the Visa is the same person at the port of entry
↑ "Malaysia". CountryReports. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
↑ Brown, Theresa Cardinal (9 May 2016). "Biometric Entry-Exit Update: CBP Developing Land Border Process". Bipartisan Policy Center. Retrieved 25 April 2019. While a requirement for a biometric entry-exit system has been in law for over a decade, it is not yet a reality. Many reasons for the long gestating development have been documented in BPC's 2014 report Entry-Exit System: Progress, Challenges, and Outlook, including the technological, operational, and cost challenges of creating exit systems and infrastructure where none exist today. However, many critics, especially in Congress, simply accused the Department of Homeland security of dragging its feet... the major operational, logistical, and technical challenge in implementing exit capability at our ports has been the land borders. Unlike airports and seaports, the land border environment is not physically controlled, there is no means to get advance information on who is arriving, and the sheer volume of travel—both vehicular and pedestrian—creates challenges in any system to not further exacerbate delays. While biometric exit for land vehicular traffic is still in the "what if" stage, CBP is moving ahead and piloting systems and technology to use with the large population of pedestrian crossers at the U.S.-Mexico border.
↑ Lipton, Eric (21 May 2013). "U.S. Quietly Monitors Foreigners' Departures at the Canadian Border". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019. Long demanded by lawmakers in Congress, it is considered a critical step to developing a coherent program to curb illegal immigration, as historically about 30 percent to 40 percent of illegal immigrants in the United States arrived on tourist visas or other legal means and then never left, according to estimates by Homeland Security officials.
↑ Lipton, Eric (15 December 2006). "Administration to Drop Effort to Track if Visitors Leave". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019. Efforts to determine whether visitors actually leave have faltered. Departure monitoring would help officials hunt for foreigners who have not left, if necessary. Domestic security officials say, however, it would be too expensive to conduct fingerprint or facial recognition scans for land departures.
↑ "Iris Scanner Could Replace Emirates ID In UAE". SimplyDXB. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2018. The breach of privacy is probably the biggest threat to the biometric technique of iris recognition. Secondly, a device error can false reject or false accept the identity which can also have some heinous consequences. Lastly, the method isn't the most cost-effective one. It is complex and therefore expensive. Furthermore, the maintenance of devices and data can also be relatively burdensome. However, thanks to the oil money and spending ability of Dubai, they are economically equipped to effectively embrace this system.
1British Overseas Territories. 2 These countries span the conventional boundary between Europe and Asia. 3 Partially recognized. 4Unincorporated territory of the United States. 5 Part of the Kingdom of Denmark. 6Egypt spans the boundary between Africa and Asia.
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