Dependant visa. Advice appreciated.

Closed Thread
  1. #1

    Dependant visa. Advice appreciated.

    Hi all,

    This is my first post here.

    Just to give you some background:

    I'm an English teacher in a university in South Korea and have one and a half years teaching experience and CELTA, a BA in History and an MA in International Relations. I'm a British citizen.

    My long term girlfriend is a Hong Kong and British citizen (HK native though) and she will probably have a job by September.

    My aim is to come over and teach private lessons. I would really prefer to do this legally, so have been doing my homework regarding visas etc.

    One type of visa I have heard about is the 'dependant' visa. Would anyone be able to advise me if this is a viable option?

    I have a few thousand pounds saved, if this is relevant.

    My idea was to apply for a dependant visa and then register a business to legalise my teaching (or would I already be legal on a dependant visa? I assume not)

    Apologies if this has been discussed ad nauseum on these boards, just haven't been able to find a definitive answer using search.

    Cheers


  2. #2

    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Sai Kung
    Posts
    4,139

    For dependant visa you first need to be married, you cannot get one without marriage.

    Dependant visa will allow you to work as you like in HK, register business, etc with no restrictions.


  3. #3

    Ah OK, thanks.

    Would it be possible for my girlfriend to register a business and then sponsor me on a work visa?


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    23,181

    No.

    Oh, and you have to be male as well as married to her to get a Dependant Visa (same sex marriages don't count).


  5. #5

    What made you think I was a lesbian haha?! Yes, I'm male.


  6. #6

    So really there are no other options for teaching privately?


  7. #7

    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    23,181

    Nope - marry her and get a Dependant Visa, or do it illegally on a Visitor Visa.


  8. #8

    Do you know what the penalties are for doing it illegally?

    Is it a rarity to get caught doing that?

    I've never done anything dodgy like that, so I'm a bit iffy about it.


  9. #9

    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    23,181

    {On immigration}

    (1) Any person who is the employer of an employee who is not lawfully employable commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $350000 and to imprisonment for 3 years.
    Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine at level 5 [HK$50,000 I believe] and to imprisonment for 2 years.
    {On tax}
    any person who without reasonable excuse:

    (i) makes an incorrect return;
    (ii) makes an incorrect statement;
    (iii) gives any incorrect information;
    (iv) fails to furnish a return in time; or
    (v) fails to inform chargeability to tax.

    The offence is subject to a fine of $10,000 and treble the amount of the tax undercharged.
    Obviously you would also get a criminal record, which would mean that travel becomes much more difficult (as an British Citizen you'd need visas for countries like the USA (and probably be refused them), for example).

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    2,254

    If you have a degree, CELTA and teaching experience you should be able to get a proper job with sponsorship for a work visa. There's no need for you to be bumming around doing illegal private tutoring. Is there any particular reason you want to do that?