Hong Kong: Information on the requirements to enter Hong Kong from the People's Republic of China and on whether there are any specific procedures for entering by bus
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 March 1996 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | HKG23522.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Hong Kong: Information on the requirements to enter Hong Kong from the People's Republic of China and on whether there are any specific procedures for entering by bus, 1 March 1996, HKG23522.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acf588.html [accessed 2 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to the March 1996 issue of Travel Information Manual, a passport is generally required to enter Hong Kong (162-167). Visas will be required depending on the length of the stay in the country and on the nationality of the visitor (Clewlow Nov. 1989, 40). Furthermore, all visitors are required to produce travel documents to their next destination outside Hong Kong and proof that they have sufficient funds to cover their stay in the country without working (Travel Information Manual March 1996, 165). The above-mentioned information was corroborated by an Entry Clearance Assistant (ECA) of the Immigration Section at the British High Commission in Ottawa during a telephone interview on 14 March 1996.
Regarding return or onward tickets and proof of sufficient funds, the 1989 Lonely Planet guide on Hong Kong, Macau and Canton mentions that these latter formalities are often not enforced, except for holders of Chinese passports and sometimes visitors from developing countries (Clewlow Nov. 1989, 40). However, according to a letter faxed to the DIRB by the British High Commission, since 1 August 1993 Chinese nationals transiting through Hong Kong are allowed a 7-day stay without a visa providing they hold a valid passport and return or onward tickets (14 March 1996). The letter also mentions that tickets may not be required from Chinese nationals travelling to China or Macau (ibid.). Requirements for proof of sufficient funds are not mentioned in the letter.
The attached excerpt of Travel Information Manual lists exemptions from passport and visa requirements on pages 162-164 and additional information on merchant seamen, re-entry permits and customs is included on pages 164-165. Travel Information Manual further states that no vaccinations are required to enter Hong Kong (March 1996, 166).
Sources consulted did not indicate any special requirements or procedures for entering Hong Kong by bus.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
High Commission of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Immigration Section, Ottawa. 14 March 1996. Letter faxed to the DIRB.
_____. 14 March 1996. Telephone interview with an Entry Clearance Assistant.
Clewlow, Carol. November 1989. Hong Kong, Macau & Canton: a Travel Survival Kit. 5th ed. Hawthorn: Lonely Planet Publications.
Travel Information Manual [Hoofddorp, The Netherlands]. March 1996
Attachments
High Commission of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Immigration Section, Ottawa. 14 March 1996. Letter faxed to the DIRB.
Clewlow, Carol. November 1989. Hong Kong, Macau & Canton: a Travel Survival Kit. 5th ed. Hawthorn: Lonely Planet Publications, pp. 40-41.
Travel Information Manual [Hoofddorp, The Netherlands]. March 1996, pp. 162-67.
