dependant visa - date of entry/proposed duration of stay

[hch]

hi, i'm just looking over the forms for the dependant visa and am not sure what to put for date of entry, as i will already be here before i send the form off, as am getting married in HK.

also, for proposed duration of stay what should i put? we are planning to stay in HK for at least a year but should i ask for more/less time than that?

thanks

[PDLM]

I would put (in fact my wife did put) "As soon as granted" and "Indefinite". You'll get a one year visa in the first instance.

[uktony]

Then take a trip to macau for the day.

I went on a buiness trip to Singapore.

When you return you do not need to fill in the little white landing form. The visa will be all they need.

Then it's off to Wan Chai for an ID Card.

(looks at passort - oh dear, form filling time again. the year is almost up)

[hch]

thanks both. am looking forward to when i've been here for seven years and can apply for permanent residency!

[BLBlankenship]

I plan on moving to Hong Kong at the end of 2010 when I finish College here in the U.S. My wife was born and raised in Hong Kong therefore has a permanent resident card. I am planning on applying for a dependent visa so I can work in Hong Kong when we move back. My wife doesn't work. Also if need be, we are allowed to stay at her mother's house until we find an apartment and I find an employer.

The reason why I am looking at doing this route is because it'll be easier for me to get an entry level position in a bank in Hong Kong by simply checking the box "I don't need sponsorship for future employment."

Does anyone have tips or advice for me in this progress?

Just some extra info:
- I'm learning Cantonese through my wife
-I'm learning Mandarin at the university I'm currently attending.

Thanks all.

[PDLM]

You may have trouble getting a dependant visa unless your wife can show that she can support you. That's what being "dependant" means. I know of a HK Permanent Rsident (working here) who has been trying unsuccessfully for several years to get a Dependant Visa for her husband to join her. And she has an income, so in your situation without one it is by no means certain that you will get a visa.

I suspect it will be slightly easier if your wife is also HK/Chinese citizen.