Visa Questions Prior to Coming to Hong Kong

[DITAC]

Hi all,

After reading a number of postings i must say everyone is very helpful in this forum! I'm hoping i'm not asking questions asked before (if so apologies in advance).

Background
I'm a working professional based in London and am transferring to HK. my family (wife + 3 children) are dual Australian and British Citizens.

I have some questions;

1. What visa should we apply for?
2. How long will it take, if it's going to be done this month?
3. Which nationality should be go by, does it make a difference?
4. Can we go to Hong Kong prior to obtaining a visa? (If the children need to start school prior to obtaining the visas).

Thanks in advance for the assistance!

Cheers,

DITAC

[shafiq]

I have some questions;
1. What visa should we apply for?
2. How long will it take, if it's going to be done this month?
3. Which nationality should be go by, does it make a difference?
4. Can we go to Hong Kong prior to obtaining a visa? (If the children need to start school prior to obtaining the visas).

1) You have to apply for work visa, and your family have to apply for dependant visa..Actually its in the same application form...

Can your HK office help in applying visa for u.?

2) Officially it takes 4 to 6 weeks...But ther are cases who have got within 1 to 2 weeks. It all depends on the justification your company gives for bringing u here..

4) You can start searching for schools, but i think ID card is needed for enrollment..Again someone in this forum mentioned about enrolling without ID card...

[carang]

makes no difference if you apply using brit or aussie passport info either.

[MovingIn07]

Actually it does. If you fancy travelling in China once you are here, use aussie passport for the visa. You need to use same passport for China as the one with the HK visa, and chinese visas are half the price for aussie compared to brit passports!

[imparanoic]

if you are under 30, you can apply for working holiday visa on your aus passport

http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_10.htm

[carang]

why do you need to use the same passport? i used to regularly travel with two passports. you leave using one and enter the other country using the other. then when you leave the second country, you use the same passport as you entered with...

why would it make any difference if you are applying for a visa for china? two totally different immigration depts. no reason in the world you couldn't enter hk using your uk passport and then enter china using the aussie one.

[flameproof]

You need to use same passport for China as the one with the HK visa

No. Why you think so? The two are totally unrelated.

[hktraveller]

Unless you get the China visa in HK. Then you need the one with the HK entry stamp or visa.

[MovingIn07]

Well if you are living in Hong Kong and want to get a visa to China, to apply here you have to have HK ID card and use the matching passport. Obviously they could get their China visa before coming but most folks don't bother planning the holidays for the next few years just prior to making an overseas move!

[nassaugirl]

If it makes no difference to you and it shouldn't with those 2 passports, use your Australian one. I agree with MIN07 who said that its cheaper for the Chinese visa.

I switched my HK ID between my British and Aus passports at renewal time for that reason. Its easy to do that if you change your mind later on.

It will take at least 4-6 weeks to get done but you can enter HK as a tourist. Brits get 180 days, Aussies get (I think) 90 days. Don't expect to do very much without the ID card though.