Hong Kong Extension of Stay (for Employment)
Procedures and Fees
Unless otherwise indicated, the employment visa extension of stay stated in this quotation refers to extension applications for employment as professionals under the General Employment Policy (GEP), employment as professionals under the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP), employment under the Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents (ASSG), entrants admitted under the Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS), entrants admitted under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG), entrants admitted under the Supplementary Labour Scheme (SLS), and entrepreneurs. For the other types of extension of stay, please consult with Kaizen’s visa and immigration professionals.
In general, unless a person has the right of abode or right to land in Hong Kong, he/she must hold a visa or permit to work in Hong Kong. Foreigners who wish to take up any short-term or long-term employment (whether paid or unpaid) in Hong Kong must thus request and obtain an employment visa/permit from the Hong Kong Immigration Department before take-up any employment.
Employment visa/permit holders may apply for an extension of stay in the HKSAR within four (4) weeks before their limit of stay expires. Such application however will be considered only where it is satisfied that the circumstances upon which the applicant acquired his/her current immigration status remain unchanged.
The applicant who has been admitted into Hong Kong to take up employment may also apply for (or extend) the dependant visa for his/her spouse and/or unmarried dependent child under the age of 18.
Furthermore, most classes of employment visas allow their holders to apply for the right of abode in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong if such holder ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years.
- Hong Kong Extension of Stay Application Fees
Our fee for handling an extension of stay in Hong Kong (excluding the case of a change of employment) is HKD4,800. An additional HKD2,400 will be charged for each dependent visa. If the applicant is not physically present in Hong Kong and whose limit of stay is about to expire or has expired for less than 12 months, our handling fees for the extension of stay are HKD6,800 for the main applicant and HKD3,400 per dependent.
In particular, our fees cover the following services:
(1)
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Continuous advice regarding the application for extension of stay in Hong Kong;
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(2)
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Assistance with the preparation of supporting documentation;
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(3)
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Review of application documents prepared by the applicant(s) and employing company;
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(4)
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Preparation of authorization letter(s), statements and application form(s);
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(5)
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Submission of the extension of stay application to the Hong Kong Immigration Department;
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(6)
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Liaison with the Hong Kong Immigration Department regarding the application;
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(7)
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Application status reporting to the applicant and relevant parties;
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(8)
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Coordinating the payment of fees and collection of the approved extension of stay label;
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(9)
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Forwarding of the extension of stay label to the address specified by the applicant;
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(10)
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Assistance for the application of Hong Kong ID cards, where needed.
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Note:
(1)
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The above fees are inclusive of the government fee.
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(2)
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The above fees are exclusive of delivery charges, translation fees, etc.
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- Eligibility Criteria
To apply for an extension of stay, the following eligibility requirements must be met:
(1)
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The applicant should not have any criminal records or security objections;
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(2)
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The circumstances upon which the applicant acquired his/her current immigration status in Hong Kong remain unchanged.
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As a general guideline, the employment visa issued under the General Employment Policy (GEP) requires that:
(1)
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The applicant must possess a good educational background (undergraduate degree in relevant fields or evidence of relevant technical qualifications, professional abilities, achievements and experience);
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(2)
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A genuine job vacancy at the employing company (employment as professionals);
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(3)
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The applicant should have secured a confirmed employment offer and the job matches his/her academic qualifications and/or working experience and cannot be readily taken up by the local work force (employment as professionals);
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(4)
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The remuneration package including income, accommodation, medical and other fringe benefits is in line with the prevailing market standards in Hong Kong.
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Note: The above-mentioned eligibility criteria are subject to change by the Hong Kong Immigration Department without prior notice. Please consult with Kaizen’s team for more information before applying.
- Payment Term and Method
Kaizen currently accepts Hong Kong Dollar cheque, cash or TT and credit card through PayPal only. If payment is settled through PayPal, extra 5% services fee will be charged. Upon receipt of your confirmation of engagement, we will issue an invoice to you for your settlement. Due to nature of the service, payment must be fully settled in advance. No fees will be refunded once services are provided.
If a China or Taiwan official tax invoice is required, the Value-Added Tax or Business Tax at the prevailing rate in their respective jurisdiction will be charged and collected.
- Procedures and Timeline
In general, the processing time of an extension of stay is approximately 3 weeks upon submission of a complete application package to the Hong Kong Immigration Department. The Hong Kong Immigration Department will verify the validity of the information submitted and may request additional evidentiary documents. In such case, the processing time will be prolonged.
If the application is approved, the Hong Kong Immigration Department will issue an extension of stay which must be collected from the immigration office in-person by the applicant or an authorized representative. If the application is rejected, an appeal may be filed.
Upon collection of the approved extension of stay, the applicant may remain in Hong Kong in accordance with the extended permission-to-remain date.
- Required Documentation and Information
For the extension of stay in Hong Kong for a professional admitted under the GEP, the applicant is required to prepare and provide the following documents and information:
(1)
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Original and photocopy of the applicant’s valid travel document and, where applicable, his/her previous travel document page showing the latest visa/entry permit label/arrival stamp/landing slip/extension of stay label in the HKSAR |
(2)
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Photocopy of the applicant’s Hong Kong identity card |
(3)
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Completed form ID 91 |
(4)
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Supporting letter from the current employer stating the applicant's position, total monthly remuneration and period of employment (for extension of stay without change of employment) |
(5)
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Completed form ID 990B and supporting documents listed in Part VII(B) of the ID(E) 991 (for extension of stay with change of employment) |
(6)
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Documentary proof of the applicant having an assessable income for salaries tax of not less than HK$2 million in the previous year of tax assessment, e.g. notice of salaries tax assessment of the previous tax assessment year issued by the Inland Revenue Department or relevant tax documents (for extension of stay applications under the top-tier employment stream only) |
The following documents and information are required for the extension of stay in Hong Kong for each dependent:
(1)
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Original and photocopy of the applicant's valid travel document and, where applicable, his/her previous travel document page showing the latest visa/entry permit label/arrival stamp/landing slip/extension of stay label in the HKSAR |
(2)
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Photocopy of the applicant's Hong Kong identity card |
(3)
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Completed form ID 91 |
(4)
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Photocopy of the sponsor's valid travel document (showing personal particulars and current permission of stay) or Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card |
(5)
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Completed form ID 481A |
(6)
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Completed form ID 481B (for spouse only) |
(7)
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Birth certificate (for children born in the HKSAR to non-permanent residents only)* |
(8)
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Applicant's Form ID 235B and/or travel document (for children born in the HKSAR to non-permanent residents only)* |
(9)
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Parents?marriage certificate (for children born in the HKSAR to non-permanent residents only )* |
* For first time application only
There are slight variations in the documentation requirements for each type of extension of stay for employment (i.e. ASMTP, ASSG, TechTAS, IANG, SLS, and entrepreneurs), but our team will help you build a personalized checklist according to your specific situation and that of your dependents, if any.
All documents submitted must be in English or Chinese or translated into English or Chinese by a certified translation body.
The Hong Kong Immigration Department reserves the right to demand further documents from the applicant or employing company as and when necessary. |
