6 month limit?

[templeton_peck]

My girlfriend, a HK ID Card holder, recently returned to HK to start a new job. I am a British passport holder. Could somebody be kind enough to clarify the following:

If I moved to HK for just under 6 months and then left for a week before returning, would I be able to stay for another 6 months? Could I visit and leave HK indefinitely as long as I never stay for more that 6 months in one go?

Thanks for any help.

[KnowItAll]

The 6 month visa is guaranteed. Quite often immigration will catch on and start giving you shorter visas. We've seen this happen with several people.

[KnowItAll]

Sorry .. I meant NOT guaranteed.

[templeton_peck]

Is the first 6 months not guaranteed or subsequent 6 month stays?

I'm 24 with a degree (2:ii in Economics) and have worked in Fund Management for 3 years but not in a particularly high position (work as assitant to Fund Managers). I have also passed Level 1 (of 3 levels) of the Chartered Financial Analyst Program which is a very prestigious global qualification. Am I right in assuming I'd be unlikely to obtain an Employment Visa?

With my girlfriend of 6 years being a HK resident and my situation (British passport holder, accomodation available with girlfriend, no criminal history, etc) do I have any realistic option of staying for up to 2 years which I haven't considered above?

Thanks again.

[KnowItAll]

The first month is pretty much assured.

>> Am I right in assuming I'd be unlikely to obtain an Employment Visa?

No, you may be able to get a visa and you may not be able to. It would all depend on you impressing the right investment bank to hire you and sponsor you for the visa. Throw a stone up in Central and it will land on an investment banker type.. there are a ton of them and one more will not make a difference.

[templeton_peck]

How will I be notified that I have to leave? If I arived in HK on, say, June 30th and had flight booked back to London on 20th Dec, would they actually find me (I assume to write to address provided on immigration card) and say I must return by a set date?

I'll give the job hunting a bash, from what I'd read it appeared you had to be a high flyer but maybe I'm a bit better off than a lot of people who would like to work out there, even though I'm no Cambridge/Oxford University type.

Thanks.

[KnowItAll]

No immigration authority writes you a letter to inform you that your time is up. You are responsible for your own schedule.

Overstay and you're declared illegal and can potentially be arrested, although that rarely happens. What happens is you're deported and your re-entry into HK will be restricted.

You'll find out that most of the investment types here in HK are a pretty mixed lot. You have your post types and you have your Delboy types.

[templeton_peck]

Thanks for your help.