Overstaying visa

[deleteduser]

Is it generally a bad thing to stay past your HK visa date by a couple days?

[KnowItAll]

lowlight : are you american by any chance?

[RichardLangford]

An off-duty immigration officer once told me that this would normally be a HK$135 fine.

[martinj]

Please do not do this, I do not know of any country who sees this as a minor thing. Some countries ban you for a long period of time from entering their country.

OVERSTAYING

Don't overstay beyond the limit of your visa. The Hong Kong authorities consider overstaying a serious matter and you may be held in detention, fine and deported, or removed at your own expense. In general, British Citizens are allowed a six month visa free stay in Hong Kong.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?...=1091893279351

[TaLL|dUdE]

yeah why not just follow the rules. i know someone who got fined for it. but the choice is up to you really.

[deleteduser]

I'm Canadian

I ask because I have a trip to Taiwan on Monday, but my Visa expires tomorrow (Saturday). I thought 1 or 2 days would be OK, but I guess I'll have to make a quick run to SZ today or tomorrow

I'd rather pay a $135 fine though...

But what I am worried about if this puts a 'mark' on my passport for the next few times I want to enter HK

Better play by the rules I guess

I hate Shen Zhen.

[Emuse]

lowlight : are you american by any chance?

What is that supposed to mean?

[TaLL|dUdE]

why not go to macau instead since you don't like SZ

[HKNewBi]

There is a neighbour of mine who was caught having overstayed his visa by 2 years. He got a 6 month suspended sentence and was only not deported as he has a young daughter in school here.

I know 2 days is not 2 years but I think it is probably a can of worms you could do without opening.

[KnowItAll]

What is that supposed to mean?

A fair number of Americans tend to be pretty naive about visa regulations.

In my previous job, we'd have atleast one American every couple of months who'd come to Hong Kong and expect that they could get to China without a Visa. "What? I'm American... I don't need a visa".

A good friend of mine is banned from entering the US (he's a brit) because he overstayed and got caught about 12-13 years ago, while backpacking through the US. Even a direct appeal to the DHS person in his country of residence has not worked....

End of the day, you're breaking the law even if you get away by paying a fine.