Hong Kong Student Visa Requirements
To study full time in Hong Kong, you need a student visa from the Immigration Department (ImmD). Students from India and Pakistan apply the same way: your university sends your forms to ImmD for you. Here is what you need.
Who Can Get a Hong Kong Student Visa
ImmD may give you a student visa if a Hong Kong institution has accepted you for a full-time course that Hong Kong has officially approved and you can pay your way.
- An acceptance letter for a course of study.
- A full-time course after school that Hong Kong has officially approved, or an approved exchange.
- The visa is tied to that university and that programme.
- Enough money for your course fees, food and housing.
- You must pay for everything yourself, with no job and no money from the Hong Kong government.
- Your bank statement should show the account holder's name and the last 3 months.
Immigration Status
- Already in Hong Kong? Send a copy of the passport page with your entry stamp or landing slip (the small paper you got when you arrived), and your e-Visa.
Special Cases
- Under 18? A parent must name a guardian in Hong Kong in a signed consent letter.
- Students from India and Pakistan follow the normal rules for entry for study.
- You also need a passport that has not expired and no criminal record.
Papers for Your Hong Kong Student Visa
Your university sends these papers to ImmD with its own form. Send copies, not originals, unless your university asks for an original.
Use your new passport's details if you renew your passport before you apply.
Keep a copy of every paper before you send the set.
Send the whole set at once. ImmD starts only when it has every paper.
- Photo size: between 50 mm x 40 mm and 55 mm x 45 mm.
- Stick it on page 2 of form ID 995A.
- A photo that clearly shows your face.
| Document Name | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Form ID 995A | The student's form for entry for study. You fill it in and sign it. | Required |
| Form ID 995B | The form your university fills in to back your visa (it is your sponsor). | Required |
| Document Name | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | Stick it on page 2 of form ID 995A. | Required |
| Passport copy | The page with your details, the issue date and the expiry date. | Required |
| Hong Kong identity card (HKID card) copy | Only if you already have one. | Optional |
| Document Name | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance letter | The letter from your Hong Kong university that confirms your place. | Required |
| Document Name | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Proof of money | Bank statements, savings passbooks, tax papers or salary slips that show you can pay fees and living costs. | Required |
| Document Name | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Guardian consent letter | Signed by one parent and by your guardian in Hong Kong. | Optional |
| Proof of where you will live | Needed only if you are under 18. | Optional |
Important Document Guidelines
Which Hong Kong Student Visa Do You Need?
Both are the same student visa (entry for study). What changes is how long you stay and what work you may do.
Key Features
For full-time bachelor's, master's and PhD students at a Hong Kong university.
Your university backs your visa (it is your sponsor) and sends your forms to ImmD.
You do not visit an embassy. Your university sends the forms for you.
You get it as an e-Visa: a visa you download and print or keep on your phone.
Eligibility Requirements
- An acceptance letter from a Hong Kong university.
- Enough money for your fees, food and housing without working.
- A passport that has not expired and no criminal record.
Restrictions
- It is for one university and one programme only.
- You may not work unless ImmD allows it in a No Objection Letter (NOL), a letter from ImmD that says what work you may do.
- You may not start or join a business.
| Point | Degree student | Exchange student |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Full-time degree students | Exchange students |
| How long | Length of the course, up to six years | Up to one year |
| Visa fee | HKD 330 (Hong Kong dollars), paid one time | HKD 330, paid one time |
| Part-time work | Allowed if your NOL allows it. ImmD has temporarily lifted the usual hour limits. | Cannot do on-campus or summer jobs |
| Stay to work after study | Can apply to stay and work after study (IANG: a plan that lets graduates stay 24 months to work) | Not covered |
If a Hong Kong university admitted you to a full bachelor's, master's or PhD programme, you need the degree student visa. Use the exchange route only if your home university is sending you for a term or a year.
Questions Students Ask
Short answers to the questions students ask most about the Hong Kong student visa.
Immigration Department (ImmD)
After Your Degree
Accept your offer and get the visa forms and steps from your university.
Fill in form ID 995A, add your photo, passport copy and bank papers, and send them to your university.
Your university adds form ID 995B and sends everything to ImmD.
ImmD checks your papers. This usually takes six weeks once every paper is in.
Pay the HKD 330 fee and download your e-Visa.
Need More Help?
Your university's admissions or visa office is your first contact. It sends your papers and follows your case with ImmD.
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