Overstayed my visa

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    May 2009
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    18

    Overstayed my visa

    I'm on a dependant visa and accidentally overstayed my visa by 9 days. Stupid, I know. What are the penalties for that? Can I be refused extension of stay because of that?


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jun 2005
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    Hong Kong
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    In principle I guess so. In practice if you go to Immigration tomorrow with the application for the extension and apologise & grovel you should be OK. You'll need also to get a temporary extension for a couple of weeks while they process the application.


  3. #3

    Join Date
    May 2009
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    18

    Thank you. I went yesterday and they asked me to write an apology letter to the Director of Immigration, explaining why I overstayed. I have to wait 4 weeks on the result of the application and it will be sent to me by mail. They didn't ask me to get any temporary extension though? Did they forget or I don't need it?


  4. #4

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    I'm surprised they didn't mention that - are you sure they didn't simply either over stamp your existing visa in your passport with a new date or add a new sticker? It's probably not a problem if you aren't planning to leave HK in the next 4 weeks, but if you are then the difficulty is that you'll need to come back in as a visitor, which has a potential impact on your 7 years continuous residence if you're thinking of getting PR that way.


  5. #5

    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    18

    No, they didnt overstamp the existing visa and no new sticker. They simply took my application and asked me to wait for the letter informing me of the result of my application for extension of stay. No, Im not planning to leave in the next 4 weeks. However, I am worried they kick me out of the country/deport for overstaying

    Last edited by Pachita; 29-10-2009 at 12:28 AM.

  6. #6

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    Assuming you write a suitably grovelling letter I'm sure you'll be fine. Otherwise they wouldn't have accepted your application.


  7. #7

    Join Date
    May 2009
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    675

    This happened to me, and like you I had to write a letter to explain why I had overstayed. The immigration official read the letter, glared at me, read the letter again, glared at me again and then just gave me the extension. It was for a work visa though, not a dependent visa. Fingers crossed yours will be treated the same way.