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No more visitor/tourist visa extensions

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  1. #31

    Join Date
    Dec 2020
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    3
    Quote Originally Posted by Kiwi_Guy:
    My experience this year with tourist visa.

    Arrived in March shortly before border closes to foreigners. On NZ passport so 180 day tourist visa received.

    Extended 4 times. First 2 times were very easy and extended for 8 weeks. 3rd time a few questions but pretty straightforward - only extended for 6 weeks though. 4th time (late November) very difficult. Lots of questions and officer went away a few times to speak to seniors. Eventually was given another 6 weeks extension but was noticeably more difficult.

    Re current entry into NZ, the difficulty is getting a space in a quarantine facility. There is a shortage of workers at the facilities themselves rather than a shortage of rooms. This means to enter NZ you need to apply for a slot and get confirmation before being able to board a plane. Pre Christmas there were no available slots due to high demand but likely slots are available now (haven't checked recently).

    On a side note, in December I switched to a GEP. This was extremely easy - booked an appointment and the visa was activated in wan chai so no need to leave the country. Was in and out within 30 mins.
    Question for the GEP visa, how long did it take to get approved? Were you hired for a more senior position, i heard ID were getting stringent on the GEP visa quota. Thanks!

  2. #32

    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Posts
    19
    Quote Originally Posted by Morrison:
    Taiwan granted even less time than that,
    Max. 180 days. So I don’t know why some curse HK gov. here.
    Quote Originally Posted by prospectiveHKer:
    - Since Taiwan is doing it too, what is the global logic for these end of extension denials? Assumption that visitors might be an infrastructure liability if things go awry with Covid?

    Do you have a source for this? As far as I know, the Taiwan government has been auto-extending tourist visas, without people ever needing to step foot in an office. The latest auto-extension was just announced last week:

    https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5475/...142068/245917/

    I haven't been able to find any credible sources stating that this would be the last extension for those in Taiwan. Since those who get auto-extended don't need to go into an office, there should be an announcement or something online so they would be informed.

  3. #33
    Quote Originally Posted by ghwork:
    Question for the GEP visa, how long did it take to get approved? Were you hired for a more senior position, i heard ID were getting stringent on the GEP visa quota. Thanks!
    Interesting. Where did you get that information from?

    GEP is supposedly quota-free and non-sector specific.

  4. #34

    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Posts
    26

    5 months from end to end. That involved an initial rejection and successful appeal.

    They definitely seem to be getting more stringent. My employer has hired many expats (and many more locals) over the years and thought my case would be extremely straight forward. Relatively senior role, good salary, had attempted to hire local etc.


  5. #35

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Sha Tin, New Territories
    Posts
    493

    Now that there is a flight ban to the UK. I wonder if Immigration Dept will extend those people's visa in HK, if they are about to expire.


  6. #36

    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Hong Kong, from UK
    Posts
    3,838
    Quote Originally Posted by gardabble:
    Now that there is a flight ban to the UK. I wonder if Immigration Dept will extend those people's visa in HK, if they are about to expire.
    There is no flight ban to the UK. There is a flight ban from the UK.

  7. #37

    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Posts
    26

    I think the ban is for flights from the UK. HK to UK flights are still running.

    If there were flight cancellations etc then I think HKID would extend though.


  8. #38

    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    1,237

    havnt we've all had 10 months go home or apply for a resident visa?


  9. #39

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    12,323
    Quote Originally Posted by aquaman:
    havnt we've all had 10 months go home or apply for a resident visa?
    As already noted above some countries WILL NOT TAKE their own citizens without onerous waiting/hoops to jump through which make "going home" very hard. Eg NZ/Aus. AustCham in HK is trying very hard to get the Aus government to do something about this as it's causing considerable hardship.

    The only place I could have moved to on a whim, as of last week, was the UK (despite having an Aus passport and residency in NZ). This week, even that is looking dicy. Crazy, crazy situation for a virus that doesn't kill 99.5% of people it infects.

    This year has taught me a lot about stupidity, risk aversion and poor governance. Globally.
    shri, mrgoodkat, Insomnia and 3 others like this.

  10. #40

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Sha Tin, New Territories
    Posts
    493
    Quote Originally Posted by Kiwi_Guy:
    I think the ban is for flights from the UK. HK to UK flights are still running.

    If there were flight cancellations etc then I think HKID would extend though.
    So there is empty flights coming from UK to HK, which means the flight crew will probably be put in 3 week quarantine. Eventually I can see flights getting banned.

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