Indian nationals must pre-register to travel visa-free to Hong Kong

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? New rules are set to take effect for Indian nationals traveling to Hong Kong as visa-waived nationals.

What does the change mean? For travel on and after Jan. 23, Indian nationals must register online before visiting Hong Kong on 14-day visa-free visits or as transit passengers. (Transit passengers by air who are not leaving the airport transit area are exempt.)

• Implementation time frame: Jan. 23.
• Visas/permits affected: Fourteen-day visa waiver.
• Who is affected: Indian nationals holding regular passports and traveling to Hong Kong as visa-waived nationals.
• Business impact: Business travelers must make sure they have completed online registration procedures before traveling.  
• Next steps: The online registration portal will be available Dec. 19. Travelers will obtain an immediate result and then must print out a notification slip for boarding a plane as well as for immigration clearance upon arrival. The registration is valid for six months and may be used for multiple entries.

BAL Analysis: Indian nationals planning travel to Hong Kong on or after Jan. 23 as visa-free visitors should register beginning Monday. Indian nationals who are enrolled as frequent visitors using the e-Channel service are exempt as long as their e-Channel permission is valid.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in India. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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