How to get a Hong Kong Study Visa

Published on January 28, 2010 by brooks | This story has been viewed 73 times

Q:

hi
I want to do a 8 to 10 weeks mandarin speaking course from hongkong. Please tell me how to get visa for the same. I have travelled to hongkong many times before but on a 14 days visa.
kind regards

A:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your e-mail message.

As a general rule, any person other than those having the right of abode or right to land in Hong Kong, must obtain a visa before coming to Hong Kong for the purpose of education, investment or residence.
An application for a visa/entry permit to enter the HKSAR for study may be favourably considered if :

  1. the applicant:
    1. is admitted to a private school registered under the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279) or Post Secondary Colleges Ordinance (Cap. 320) (entry for study in public or aided schools is not permitted except for tertiary education);
    2. takes up studies in a full-time locally-accredited post-secondary programme including short-term course, part-time locally-accredited taught postgraduate programme, or full-time exchange study programme for not more than one year at degree or above level; or
    3. is enrolled in a course on the register of non-local higher education or professional courses as set up under the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance (Cap. 493);
  2. the applicant is:
    1. from the age of 5 years and 8 months to 11 for primary education; or
    2. below the age of 20 for secondary education;
  3. the applicant holds a school acceptance letter to confirm that he/she has been accepted for a course of study; and
  4. the applicant is able to meet the fees for the course, the living expenses for his/her maintenance and accommodation without working and without recourse to public funds.

This entry arrangement does not apply to:

  1. Chinese residents of the Mainland and Taiwan;
  2. former Mainland Chinese residents settled in Macao who were not settled there by 14 January 1979; and
  3. nationals of Afghanistan, Albania, Cambodia, Cuba, Laos, Korea (Democratic Peoples’ Republic of ), Nepal and Vietnam.

However, subject to meeting the conditions at sub-paragraphs 2(c) & (d) above, Chinese residents of the Mainland, Macao and Taiwan may apply for entry to take up:

  1. studies in full-time locally-accredited post-secondary programmesNote 1;
  2. full-time exchange study programmes for not more than one year at degree or above level; or
  3. short-term studies, subject to the following conditions:
    1. the programme concerned is offered by Hong Kong higher education institutions with degree-awarding powersNote 2 (excluding their continuing and professional education arms); and
    2. the cumulative duration of short-term studies taken up by any student should not exceed 180 days within any 12-month period.

In addition:

  1. Chinese residents of Macao and Taiwan may apply to take up studies in part-time locally-accredited taught post-graduate programmes;
  2. Chinese residents of the Mainland may apply to take up studies in part-time locally-accredited taught post-graduate programmes offered by the University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded institutions; and
  3. Chinese residents of the Mainland may also apply to attend secondary school level short-term exchange programmes approved by the Education Bureau of not more than 2 weeks, if accompanied by Mainland teachers.
Note 1: The agreement between the Mainland and Hong Kong on mutual recognition of degree awards in higher education is not applicable to sub-degree qualifications (i.e. associate degree, professional diploma and advanced diploma programmes). Mainland students may come to attend sub-degree level study programmes in Hong Kong since there is no restriction in the Mainland prohibiting them to pursue further studies at educational institutions outside the Mainland on a personal basis.
Note 2: They comprise the eight University Grants Committee-funded institutions, the Open University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Chu Hai College of Higher Education and Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

Application Procedures

Application Forms

Applicant should complete application form (ID 995A). The sponsor should complete application form (ID 995B). The application forms (ID 995A and ID 995B) can be obtained free of charge from the following offices:

  1. Immigration Department Headquarters.
  2. Immigration Branch Offices.
  3. Overseas Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Missions.
  4. Immigration Division of the Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing.
  5. Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong.

The forms can also be downloaded from the Immigration Department’s website at www.immd.gov.hk.

Sponsor in Hong Kong

To apply for entry for study, the applicant should nominate a local sponsor. A local sponsor can either be the educational institution granting the acceptance or an individual. If the local sponsor is an individual, he/she should be:

  1. of the age of 18 or above;
  2. a bona fide Hong Kong resident;
  3. acquainted with the applicant; and
  4. financially capable to support the applicant and provide him/her with accommodation.

Besides, if the applicant is under the age of 18, one of the applicant’s parents should authorise the sponsor or his/her relative/friend in Hong Kong to be the guardian of the applicant.  A consent letter duly signed by both the guardian and one of the applicant’s parents should be produced.

Supporting Documents

Forms and Documents to be Submitted by the Applicants

a Forms/ Documents Required
Application for Entry for Study in Hong Kong (ID 995A)
Acknowledgement Card (ID 813)
2 mailing labels (ID 839)
The applicant’s recent photograph (affixed on page 2 of the application form ID 995A)
Photocopy of the applicant’s travel document containing personal particulars, date of issue, date of expiry and/or details of any re-entry visa held (if applicable). For an applicant who is currently staying in the HKSAR, photocopy of his/her travel document page containing the latest arrival stamp/extension of stay label in the HKSAR. Chinese resident of the Mainland who has not been issued with a travel document may submit a photocopy of his/her People’s Republic of China resident identity card.
Photocopy of the applicant’s Hong Kong identity card (if any)
A letter of acceptance from the educational institution
One of the applicant’s parents should authorise the sponsor or his/her relative/friend in Hong Kong to be the guardian of the applicant.  A consent letter duly signed by both the guardian and one of the applicant’s parents should be produced. [if the applicant is under the age of 18]
Photocopy of proof of the applicant’s accommodation arrangement [if the applicant is under the age of 18]
Photocopy of proof of the applicant’s financial support, e.g. bank statements, savings account passbooks, tax receipts and salary slips [if the sponsor is the educational institution]
Photocopy of the applicant’s Macao identity card [for Macao residents only]
Photocopy of the applicant’s household registration in Taiwan and Taiwan identity card [for Taiwan residents only]


Forms and Documents to be Submitted by the Sponsors

a Forms/ Documents Required
Application for Entry for Study (Sponsor) in Hong Kong (ID 995B)
An undertaking that the sponsor is prepared to provide accommodation to the applicant during his/her period of study in Hong Kong [if the applicant is under the age of 18]
Photocopy of the sponsor’s Hong Kong identity card #
Photocopy of the sponsor’s travel document containing personal particulars, date of issue, date of expiry, and the latest arrival stamp/extension of stay label in the HKSAR [for non-permanent resident of the HKSAR only] #
Photocopy of proof of the sponsor’s financial standing, e.g. bank statements, savings account passbooks, tax receipts and salary slips; and an undertaking that the sponsor is prepared to provide financial support to the applicant during his/her period of study in Hong Kong #

# Submission of the documents is not required if the sponsor is the educational institution granting the acceptance.

Important Notice:

  1. Notwithstanding that the documents and information required have been furnished, applicants and sponsors may still be required to submit further supporting documents and information in connection with the application(s) when necessary.
  2. Where a document is not in Chinese or English, it must be accompanied by a Chinese or English translation certified as a true translation by a sworn translator, court translator, authorised public translator, certified translator, expert translator or official translator.

Submission of Application

All the forms must be duly completed and signed. Completed application forms, i.e. ID 995A and ID 995B, and all supporting documents should be submitted in either one of the following ways:

  1. By post directly or through the local sponsor in the HKSAR to:
Receipt and Despatch Unit
Hong Kong Immigration Department
2/F, Immigration Tower
7 Gloucester Road
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
  1. Applicants residing in overseas countries or territories may submit their application forms together with the relevant supporting documents and their travel documents in person to the nearest Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in their place of domicile.
  2. Holders of foreign passports who are living in the Mainland of China may submit the application forms together with all supporting documents to the Immigration Division of the Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing (Beijing Office). Applicants are required to produce their travel documents to the Immigration Division of the Beijing Office so that a visa/entry permit could be issued if the application is approved. The address of the Beijing Office is:
No. 71, Di’anmen Xidajie, Xicheng District
Beijing 100009
People’s Republic of China

Applications from the Chinese residents of the Mainland should be submitted to the Immigration Department through the educational institution (the sponsor) granting the acceptance.

Travel Documentation Requirement

Visa/Entry permit label will be issued upon successful application. It should be collected by the sponsor from the Immigration Department for onward transmission to the successful applicant. For application submitted to the Chinese diplomatic and consular mission or the Immigration Division of the Beijing Office, visa/entry permit will be issued through the relevant Chinese diplomatic and consular mission or the Immigration Division of the Beijing Office as appropriate.

The visa/entry permit label should be affixed onto a blank visa page of the applicant’s travel document for presentation to the immigration officer upon arrival in the HKSAR.

Successful applicant who is a Chinese resident of the Mainland should apply for an Exit-entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao (EEP) and a relevant exit endorsement from the Public Security Bureau office where his/her household registration is kept. The entry permit label should be affixed onto a blank endorsement page of the applicant’s EEP on which his/her relevant exit endorsement has been obtained. The applicant should present the EEP for immigration examination upon arrival in the HKSAR.

It normally takes 4 to 6 weeks to process an entry visa application .

Ordinary visa $160

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