Hong Kong Visa & Immigration Topics

Considerably Heightened Diligence by ImmD on All Types of Hong Kong Visa Applications

Posted in Employment Visas, Family Visas, Investment Visas, Long Stay & PR, Musing, Refusals & Appeals, Sherpa, The Hong Kong Visa Geeza, Visitor Visas /

Updated October 12, 2026.   Heightened ImmD Scrutiny ImmD shifted from a traditional “process and approve” paradigm to an aggressive compliance-and-audit model. This heightened diligence has been driven by several key factors: 1. Abuse of New Talent Schemes: Massive application volumes under the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) and QMAS led to illicit intermediaries selling […]

Can I Set Up A Hong Kong Company, Employ My Business Partner & Sponsor An Employment Visa For Him?

Posted in Employment Visas, Investment Visas, The Hong Kong Visa Geeza, Your Question Answered /

PRACTICE UPDATE: How the content must now be read in light of current ImmD policy: This piece explores the common strategy where one partner incorporates a company to hire their co-founder under an employment visa rather than an investment visa. While the advice historically warned that ImmD scrutinizes “new business situations” and checks whether the […]

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Lame Excuses Won’t Cut It If You’re Caught Working In Hong Kong Without An Employment Visa

Posted in Employment Visas, Feature Article, Investment Visas, Musing, Refusals & Appeals, Special Programmes, The Hong Kong Visa Geeza, Visitor Visas /

Caught Working in Hong Kong Without an Employment Visa? If you’re working in Hong Kong  (paid, unpaid or temporarily transferred in) but do not have an employment visa sponsored by your current employer you are breaking the law and could be subject to 3 years imprisonment and/or up to a HKD350,000 fine. The law is very […]

Can I Sponsor Myself For Freelance Work ‘On-the-Side’ Whilst Working For My Current Hong Kong Employment Visa Sponsor?

Posted in Employment Visas, Investment Visas, The Hong Kong Visa Geeza, Your Question Answered /

This is joining in a side business albeit in another name…and a solution for certain types of Hong Kong Employment Visa holders thinking about freelancing in Hong Kong PRACTICE UPDATE: How the content must now be read in light of current ImmD policy: The advice regarding securing ImmD permission to “join in a side business” under Section […]

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How Hard Is It To Transfer From A Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa To A Full Employment Visa?

Posted in Employment Visas, The Hong Kong Visa Geeza, Your Question Answered /

You know how it is… you arrive in Hong Kong for a year of fun and adventure and then you want to stay… This article deals with the transfer from a Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa to a full Employment Visa. QUESTION Hi there! I’m an Australian citizen in Hong Kong, working under a working holiday visa […]

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Do You Need A Hong Kong Employment Visa If You Work For A Hong Kong Company But Not In Hong Kong?

Posted in Employment Visas, The Hong Kong Visa Geeza, Your Question Answered /

Do the Hong Kong Immigration Department expect every foreign national employee of Hong Kong registered companies to have employment visas even if they have never worked (or never will work) in the HKSAR? QUESTION Is there any problem with a Hong Kong registered company employing someone currently resident in Malaysia for a role supporting one […]

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Must The Employing Company Sponsor Of My Hong Kong Work Visa Application Be Profitable?

Posted in Employment Visas, The Hong Kong Visa Geeza, Your Question Answered /

How important is sponsor-profitability, especially for start up businesses less than 12 months old? QUESTION I have been recruited by a newly established company (12 months old as of this week). They have never hired a foreigner and have tasked me with completing the visa forms, both employee and employer versions. The Employer-side application requires […]

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What Are The Obligations Of An Employer To A Prospective Employee When An Application For A Hong Kong Employment Visa Has Been Refused?

Posted in Employment Visas, Musing, Refusals & Appeals, The Hong Kong Visa Geeza /

Foreign nationals seeking to work in Hong Kong have a lot of stake in an employment visa application so when it doesn’t work out positively where does that leave their proposed relationship? QUESTION Hi, After the recruitment process in a multinational company in Hong Kong, they decided to employ me, so I signed the offer […]

Can The Sponsor Of Your Hong Kong Employment Visa Hold Your Residence To Ransom?

Posted in 60 Second Snapshot, Employment Visas, The Hong Kong Visa Geeza /

Many foreign nationals holding Hong Kong employment visas labour under the misapprehension that their employer somehow controls their immigration destiny by virtue of the fact that they sponsor their residence in Hong Kong. Nothing could be further from the truth! This is a common misconception amongst foreign workers, especially if they find themselves in some […]

How To Apply For A Hong Kong Investment Visa Without Paying For Professional Help – 6 – Work Visa Vs Investment Visa?

Posted in Employment Visas, Investment Visas, Musing, The Hong Kong Visa Geeza /

This post on how to apply for a Hong Kong investement visa without paying for professional help deals with the differences between  work visa vs investment visa. I have given this talk around town for the last couple of years now and so pleased to finally add it to our coverage of the Hong Kong investment […]