A Chinese visa is required when an individual wishes to visit Mainland China. There are two options to apply for a Chinese visa in Hong Kong. The first one is to apply as an individual at the China visa office. The choice is energy consuming but economical. The second option is to apply for a visa through a visa agency. The choice is timesaving and convenient, but expensive.
Option 1: Application at visa offices
- To stabilize the third outbreak of COVID-19, starting from 22 September 2020, the Chinese visa application service center will be open every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00-16:00 (public holidays excluded) and provide services for those in urgent need.
- Applicants are required to make an appointment for visa services through the official website of the Centre (http://bio.visaforchina.org/HKG2_EN/) before submitting application documents on-site. Applications without a valid online appointment will NOT be accepted.
This option has four major steps that need to be followed:
- Document preparation
- Copy of the bio page of the applicant’s passport
- Latest passport-size photograph
- Filled-in visa application
- Copy of arrival sticker or stamp obtained during Hong Kong entry
- Copies of hotel bookings in China
- Round-trip tickets within and outside Mainland China
- To control the pandemic, all applicants are required to provide a COVID-19 negative certificate tested within 3 days and health and travel record declaration form for visa application.
- The visa application office has a photo booth for applicants who do not have a passport photo. To reduce unnecessary exposure and minimize risks of cross-infection, applicants have been asked to make sure to carry all required documents ready before going to the office.
- For Visa inquires, contact: hongkongcenter@visaforchina.org, +852-29921999 (9:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:00 Monday to Friday, public holidays excluded). Please note that this is a temporary arrangement due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The visa application form is available at the visa office or it can be downloaded from the link below:
http://in.chineseembassy.org/eng/lsfw/bgxz/P020131119465368662748.pdf
- Visit visa office
To apply for a visa, the applicant needs to go to the Consular Department Office. The applicants are required to follow COVID-19 prevention instructions, including wearing a mask, checking body temperature at the entrance, and filling in the Health Declaration Form. (Link for health declaration form: https://hdf.chp.gov.hk/dhehd/hdf-hkia.jsp?lang=en-us)
The procedure of the Chinese visa application in Hong Kong:
- Complete the application form
- Obtain waiting ticket with a number on it
- Submit documents to the officer in charge and obtain a collection receipt
- Pay during the collection of the visa
- Waiting for the China visa
Generally, it takes four working days to obtain the visa; however, an individual can apply for express service to receive the visa in three working days by paying an additional HK$200 or one can pay HK$300 for getting it in two days.
- Payment and collection of visa fee
Visit the seventh floor, pay the cashier, and collect the visa. The costs of the various visas are as follows:
- Single-entry HK$200
- Double-entry HK$300
- Multiple-entry HK$500
Option 2: Application through a visa agency
Application through an agency saves hassle and time.
- Please note that from September 28, 2020, applicant holding valid Chinese residence permits for work, private affairs, and group clusters are allowed to enter China, and relevant personnel do not need to reapply for visas.
- Also, the Consular Department of the Commissioner’s Office is ready to accept visa applications through the Chinese Visa Application Service Center from applicants who intend to travel to China for any of the following purposes:
- Applicant visiting China for resumption of operation and production, including for economic, trade, scientific and technological purposes.
- Applicant visiting China for emergency humanitarian reasons.
- Applicant who qualifies for a crew (C) visa.
- Applicant who qualifies for an R visa.
- The authorized inbound passengers arriving from designated countries to China are required to provide both nucleic acid COVID-19 test and IgM antibody test results.
- The international Travellers allowed into the country are subject to 14-day quarantine in government-run facilities.
- As of now, China has resumed direct flights from 8 countries, including Thailand, Pakistan, Cambodia, Greece, Denmark, Sweden, and Canada.