Hong Kong Visit Visa

Working Holiday Scheme

Introduction

The purpose of the Scheme is to facilitate cultural and educational exchange between Hong Kong and the participating country (Note1, Annex) with a view to strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two places. National passport holders aged between 18 and 30 of the participating country, who are ordinarily residing in their home country and whose main intention to Hong Kong is to holiday, are welcome to join the Scheme. Under the arrangements of the Scheme, they may take up short-term employment (Note 2, Annex) and/or enrol in a short study or training course (Note 3, Annex) while they are on holiday in Hong Kong.

Quota

There will be an annual quota (Note 1, Annex) for nationals of each participating country and qualified applications will be approved on a first-come first-served basis.

Eligibility Criteria

1. A national of the participating country meeting the following eligibility criteria may be granted a Working Holiday visa for participating in the Scheme:

2. he/she holds a valid national passport issued by the participating country and is ordinarily residing in that participating country (for applicant from the Netherlands, he/she should be habitually residing in the European part of the Netherlands);

3. his/her primary intention is to holiday in Hong Kong;

4. he/she is aged between 18 and 30;

5. he/she is able to produce financial proof of having an amount (Note 4, Annex) sufficient for his/her maintenance during his/her proposed stay in the HKSAR, e.g. bank statement, saving accounts passbooks, etc.;

6. he/she holds a return air ticket or financial proof of having sufficient funds to purchase a return air ticket; and

7. he/she agrees to hold medical, healthcare (including hospitalisation), repatriation and liability insurance to remain in force throughout his/her stay in the HKSAR>

Working Holiday Scheme Notes

Applying

Application Procedures

To apply for the Working Holiday visa, an applicant needs to complete a visa application form ID(E)940 which is obtainable from the Information Office of the HKSAR Immigration Department as well as Chinese diplomatic and consular missions (CDCMs) (Note 6, Annex) in the participating country. Xerox copy of the visa application form will also be accepted. Applicants are strongly advised to read the relevant guidance notes ID(E)940A before completing the application form.

Completed visa applications together with the necessary supporting documents may be submitted to the HKSAR Immigration Department direct by post or through a local connection. They may also be submitted to the CDCMs in the participating country

Underpaid mail items will not be accepted by the Immigration Department. For proper delivery of your mail items, please ensure your mail items bear sufficient postage with return address before posting.

Some Chinese diplomatic and consular missions have implemented the arrangement that applications for visas for Hong Kong from persons holding foreign ordinary passports will be handled by the "Chinese Visa Application Service Center". Applicants may contact the nearest Chinese diplomatic and consular mission for details.

Payment of Fee

If the application is submitted to the Hong Kong Immigration Department direct, the applicant should send in with the application a cashier order or a bank draft in Hong Kong Currency for payment of visa fee (Note 7, Annex). The cashier order or bank draft should be one from a bank which has a connected bank in the HKSAR and made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". It will be returned to the applicant if the application is unsuccessful. No cash should be sent along with the application.

If the application is submitted to an overseas Chinese diplomatic and consular mission, the visa fee (Note 7, Annex) should be paid direct to the Chinese diplomatic and consular mission.

After Applying

Online/24-hour Telephone Enquiry on Application Status Enquiry

Once the receipt of application has been acknowledged, applicants can enquire their application status here or through the 24-hour telephone enquiry system at (852) 3160 8663.

Payment of Fee

If the application is submitted to the Hong Kong Immigration Department direct, the applicant should send in with the application a cashier order or a bank draft in Hong Kong Currency for payment of visa fee (Note 7, Annex). The cashier order or bank draft should be one from a bank which has a connected bank in the HKSAR and made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". It will be returned to the applicant if the application is unsuccessful. No cash should be sent along with the application.

Conditions and Restrictions

The holder of a Working Holiday Visa may be allowed to enter Hong Kong and stay for not more than 12 months subject to normal immigration requirements being met. Application for extension of stay will not normally be considered.

Participants of the Scheme are not permitted to engage in permanent employment, but may take up temporary employment as an incidental aspect of their holiday (Note 2, Annex). Participants of the Scheme may also enrol in study or training course(s) during their visit (Note 3, Annex).

Participants will not be eligible to come to Hong Kong for any further working holiday under the same Scheme. Entry applications from dependent spouse/children to join the participants will not be considered.