Visa-Free Stay in Hong Kong by Country

How long can each country’s nationals stay in Hong Kong visa-free?

Skip to the list.

Hong Kong is a remarkable tourist destination.

The beautiful sceneries, exquisite Asian cuisines, luxury malls, and vibrant nightlife make the city a worthy place to spend your next vacation.

But these tourists’ thrills are not the major motivation for many people seeking to visit the city. 

The opportunity to spend considerable time in the region without a visa is a dream come true for travelers and tourists, and the major reason why many people visit the city.

A visa-free stay in Hong Kong makes the city the ideal location for emergency vacations and business meetings.

Keep reading to find out if you are eligible for a visa-free stay in Hong Kong.

Who can enter Hong Kong without a visa?

If you want to visit Hong Kong for business, studies, vacation, or work, there are mandatory immigration requirements that you must fulfill to enter the city legally.

However, certain persons can enter Hong Kong without a visa. 

The Hong Kong Government offers visa-free stay in Hong Kong to visitors from certain countries for a limited period.

Thus if you’re a national or diplomatic passport holder of any country eligible for a visa-free stay in Hong, you can enter Hong Kong without a visa.

This relieves you of the cost of applying for a visa and the rigorous process involved.

Also,  if you’re a Hong Kong resident or connected to the region by birth, you’ll not require a visa to enter the city if you have any of the following documents:

  1. A valid Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport
  2. A Hong Kong Re-entry permit for persons entering the city from Mainland China or the Macao Special Administrative Region
  3. The Hong Kong Seaman’s Identity Book
  4. A valid Hong Kong Document of Identity for Visa Purposes provided that your limit of stay in Hong Kong has not expired
  5. Travel documents endorsed with a statement that the bearer of such documents is eligible for the Hong Kong permanent identity card,  or a statement that the bearer has the right to land in Hong Kong.

Which countries are eligible for a visa-free stay in Hong Kong?

Nationals and residents of over 160 countries are eligible for a visa-free stay in Hong Kong. This includes African, European, and Asian countries.

The visa-free stay is granted for a limited period ranging from 7 to 180 days. 

Here’s a table showing the countries eligible for a visa-free stay in Hong Kong by country.

CountryVisa Free Period
1Albania (holders of Albanian biometric passports only)14 Days
2.Algeria14 Days
3.Andorra90 Days
4.Anguilla90 Days
5Antigua and Barbuda90 Days
6Argentina90 Days
7Armenia30 Days
8.Australia90 Days
9.Austria90 Days
10.Bahamas90 Days
11.Bahrain30 Days
12.Barbados90 Days
13.Belarus30 Days
14.Belgium90 Days
15.Belize90 Days
16.Benin14 Days
17.Bermuda90 Days
18.Bhutan14 Days
19.Bolivia30 Days
20.Bosnia and Herzegovina14 Days
21.Botswana90 Days
22.Brazil90 Days
23.Britain180 Days
24.Britain (British Overseas Territories citizens, British Overseas citizens, British subjects and British Protected persons)90 Days
25.British Antarctic Territory90 Days
26.British Indian Ocean Territory90 Days
27.The British Virgin Islands90 Days
28Brunei Darussalam90 Days
29Bulgaria90 Days
30Burkina Faso14 Days
31.Canada90 Days
32.Cape Verde30 Days
33.Cayman Islands90 Days
34Chad14 Days
35Chile90 Days
36Colombia90 Days
37Comoros14 Days
38Costa Rica30 Days
39Croatia90 Days
40Cyprus90 Days
41Czech Republic90 Days
42Denmark90 Days
43Djibouti14 Days
44Dominica90 Days
45Dominican Republic30 Days
46Ecuador90 Days
47Egypt90 Days
48El Savador30 Days
49Equatorial Guinea14 Days
50Estonia90 Days
51Eswatini90 Days
52Falkland Islands & Dependencies90 Days
53Faroe Islands90 Days
54Fiji90 Days
55Finland90 Days
56France90 Days
57Gabon14 Days
58Germany90 Days
59Gibraltar 90 Days
60Greece90 Days
61Greenland90 Days
62Grenada90 Days
63Guatemala30 Days
65Guinea14 Days
66Guyana90 Days
67Haiti14 Days
68Honduras30 Days
69Hungary90 Days
70Iceland90 Days
71India14 Days
72Indonesia30 Days
73Ireland90 Days
74Israel90 Days
75Italy90 Days
76Jamaica90 Days
77Japan90 Days
78Jordan30 Days
79Kazakhstan14 Days
80Kenya90 Days
81Kiribati90 Days
82Korea (Republic of)90 Days
83Kuwait30 Days
84Latvia90 Days
85Lesotho14 Days
86Liechtenstein 90 Days
87Lithuania90 Days
88Luxembourg90 Days
89Madagascar14 Days
90Malawi90 Days
91Malaysia90 Days
92Maldives90 Days
93Mali14 Days
94Malta90 Days
95Marshall Islands14 Days
96Mauritania14 Days
97Mauritius90 Days
98Mexico90 Days
99Micronesia14 Days
100Monaco90 Days
101Mongolia14 Days
102Montenegro14 Days
103Montserrat90 Days
104Morocco30 Days
105Mozambique14 Days
106Namibia90 Days
107Nauru90 Days
108Netherlands90 Days
109New Zealand90 Days
110Niger14 Days
111North Marcedenia14 Days
112Norway90 Days
113Oman30 Days
114Palau14 Days
115Panama30 Days
116Papua New Guinea90 Days
117Paraguay30 Days
118Peru30 Days
119Philippines14 Days
120Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie & Oeno Islands90 Days
121Poland90 Days
122Portugal90 Days
123Qatar30 Days
124Romania90 Days
123Russia14 Days
124Samoa30 Days
125San Marino 90 Days
126Sao Tome and Principe14 Days
127Saudi Arabia30 Days
128Serbia  (holders of Serbian biometric passports only)14 Days
129Seychelles90 Days
130Singapore90 Days
131Slovak Republic90 Days
132Slovenia90 Days
133South Africa30 Days
134Spain90 Days
135St. Helena90 Days
136St. Helena Dependencies (Ascension, Tristan Da Cunha)90 Days
137St. Kitts and Nevis90 Days
138St. Lucia90 Days
139St. Vincent and The Grenadines90 Days
140Suriname14 Days
141Sweden90 Days
142Switzerland90 Days
143Tanzania90 Days
144Thailand30 Days
145The South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands90 Days
146The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia90 Days
147Tonga90 Days
148Trinidad and Tobago90 Days
149Tunisia30 Days
150Turkey90 Days
151Turks and Caicos Islands90 Days
152Tuvalu90 Days
153Uganda30 Days
154Ukraine14 Days
156United Arab Emirates30 Days
157Uruguay90 Days
158U.S.A. (except U.S.A. Diplomatic passports)90 Days
159US Trust Territory of Pacific Islands(holders  of US Trust Territory passports only)14 Days
160Vanuatu90 Days
161Vatican City14 Days
162Venezuela90 Days
163Zambia90 Days
164Zimbabwe90 Days
165Nationals of other foreign countries do not require visas for a visit7 Days

 

Need to stay in Hong Kong longer than your limit of stay?

The visa-free stay is for a limited period and you’ll be required to present a valid visa to continue staying beyond your limit of stay.

Thus, it is advisable to apply for a Hong Kong visa on arrival if you intend to stay for a longer period. 

Alternatively, you can apply for an extension of stay but this is mostly granted for emergency situations and only on merit.

Also, you have to apply for an extension of stay 7 days before your visa-free period expires for your application to be considered. 

How to get a Hong Kong Visa

Generally, anyone entering Hong Kong ought to present a visa or entry permit as required by the immigration laws and regulations.

Thus, if you do not meet the requirements for a visa-free stay in Hong Kong and you’re ineligible to enter Hong Kong without a visa, you’ll need to apply for a visa.

You’ll also need a visa to stay in Hong Kong beyond the applicable visa-free period. 

Luckily, the process for applying and obtaining a visa in Hong Kong is straightforward and simple.

You can apply for a Hong Kong Visa at any Chinese Embassy or Consulate close to you.

Alternatively, you can apply directly to the Hong Kong Immigration Department by post. 

You’ll have to provide your reason for applying for the Visa, the period you intend to spend in Hong Kong, and show sufficient funds to cover your expenses during the period.

Your application form and supporting documents must provide these details for your application to be considered. 

Conclusion

Hong Kong offers several opportunities to foreigners seeking an overseas destination to explore.

You may need to visit the city to explore the environment and assess the available opportunities.

You can take advantage of the Hong Kong visa-free stay to do so if you’re eligible. 

Among being a great vacation city, Hong Kong is also a well-known city for being an international business hub.

Businesses from all over the world love the environment for doing business in Hong Kong, or even just opening their business there as an offshore company.

Why?

Hong Kong is considered a tax haven with some of the most relaxed taxation regimes in Asia.

Register your business in Hong Kong with Air Corporate today and get approved in 48 hours.

Vivian Au photo
Vivian Au

For many years, I worked at big accounting and company secretary firms in Hong Kong. I started Air Corporate to make the life of entrepreneurs and SMEs easy.

Vivian Au

Related Articles

Best business accounts to choose in Hong Kong
March 13, 2023

Best Business Accounts in Hong Kong

Opening a bank account for your business is on top of your to-do list as soon as you register your […]

A comprehensive guide on proof of address in Singapore
March 8, 2023

Proof of Address in Singapore: A Comprehensive Guide

What is common between opening a bank account, applying for a new mobile phone connection, and signing up for an […]

Top national banks to choose in Hong Kong
March 2, 2023

Best National Banks in Hong Kong to Consider for Your Business

As one of the leading financial centers of the world, Hong Kong is the go-to business destination for foreign entrepreneurs.  […]