Visa-free entry for Indians into Hong Kong to be withdrawn from 23 January

Hong Kong has announced that it would scrap visa on arrival for Indians from 23 January 2017.

Henceforth, Indians will have to complete a pre-arrival registration, which would be effective from the same date on which visa-free entry would be scrapped. Earlier, valid passport holders from this South Asian country were allowed to enter the former British colony within mainland China sans a visa for up to 14 days.

The Asian News International quotes the Hong Kong Immigration Department as stating that from 23 January onwards, the pre-arrival registration for Indian citizens would be put in place. It added that service for the same had been opened online.

According to the department, citizens of India need to apply for pre-registration online and fully complete it before they want to travel via or visit the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) without a visa.

Indians in direct transit by air, however, need not apply for a pre-arrival registration so long as they do not opt to leave the airport transit area.

The department said that Indians could avail the online service to send pre-arrival registration applications free of charge. It added the validity period for the pre-arrival registration is six months or until the Indian passport linked to it expires, whichever comes first.

If you are planning to travel to Hong Kong, contact Y-Axis to get professional counselling to file for a tourist visa from one of its several offices located in India’s eight largest cities.