Hong Kong Visa-Free Entry: Who Needs a Visa and for How Long
Many passports get a visa-free stay in Hong Kong. Here is how long, what Indian nationals must do first, and the rules every visitor has to meet.
At a glance
- Who decides: the Hong Kong Immigration Department (ImmD). Its visit visa page was last updated in August 2026.
- Visa-free stays last up to 180 days, depending on your nationality. Many common passports get 90 days.
- Indian nationals can stay 14 days visa-free, but only after they complete pre-arrival registration (PAR) online.
- Every visitor needs enough money for the stay and an onward or return ticket, and may not work or study.
Checked against the ImmD on 28 October 2026. Entry rules can change at short notice, so read the ImmD visit visa page before you book.
Visa-free stays by passport
These are the stays the ImmD lists for some common passports. The full list on the ImmD page covers far more countries.
| Passport | Visa-free stay |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom (British citizens) | 180 days |
| United States | 90 days (diplomatic passport holders need a visa) |
| Australia | 90 days |
| Canada | 90 days |
| Germany | 90 days |
| France | 90 days |
| Japan | 90 days |
| Singapore | 90 days |
| Malaysia | 90 days |
| Philippines | 14 days |
| India | 14 days, after pre-arrival registration |
If your passport is not on the visa-free list, the same ImmD page explains how to apply for a visit visa.
India: pre-arrival registration (PAR)
Indian nationals must apply for and pass pre-arrival registration online before they visit or transit Hong Kong visa-free. Here is how the ImmD describes it:
- Where: on the designated GovHK website for pre-arrival registration, linked from the ImmD page.
- Cost: free of charge.
- Passport: an Indian passport valid for at least six months. Enter your details exactly as they appear in it.
- Result: shown at once. If you pass, print the notification slip on blank A4 paper and sign it.
- How long it lasts: six months. In that time you can make several visa-free visits of up to 14 days each.
- Travel with the same passport that you registered with, and carry the slip.
The ImmD does not set a minimum time before travel, but registration must be done before you go.
Conditions for every visitor
- Money: enough funds to cover your stay without working.
- Tickets: an onward or return ticket, unless you are going on to Chinese Mainland or Macao.
- No work or study: visitors may not take a job, set up a business or enrol as students.
- No guarantee: meeting the rules does not mean entry is automatic. Immigration staff decide on arrival.
Hong Kong, Macao and Chinese Mainland
The ImmD list covers entry to Hong Kong only. Residents of Chinese Mainland follow separate arrangements, set out in their own ImmD leaflets. If your trip also takes in the Mainland, check the Mainland's own entry rules before you travel.
After you land
Once you are through immigration, our airport to city guide covers the Airport Express, buses and taxis, and our Octopus card guide explains how to pay for rides and snacks.
Part of our Hong Kong guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Hong Kong?
Indian nationals can visit Hong Kong for 14 days without a visa, but they must first apply for and pass pre-arrival registration (PAR) online. It is free, valid for six months and allows several visits.
What is Hong Kong pre-arrival registration?
It is a free online check for Indian nationals, run through a GovHK website. You get the result at once, print and sign the notification slip, and can then make visa-free visits of up to 14 days for six months.
How long can US citizens stay in Hong Kong?
The Immigration Department lists 90 days visa-free for US citizens. Holders of US diplomatic passports need a visa.
Is a Hong Kong visa the same as a China visa?
No. Hong Kong's Immigration Department sets the rules for entering Hong Kong, and its visa-free list covers Hong Kong only. If you also plan to visit Chinese Mainland, check the Mainland's own entry rules.
- Immigration Department (ImmD), Visit Visa / Entry Permit Requirements for the HKSAR (updated August 2026): https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/visit-transit/visit-visa-entry-permit.html
- Immigration Department (ImmD), Pre-arrival Registration for Indian Nationals: https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/pre-arrival_registration_for_indian_nationals.html
All checked 28 October 2026. Facts were taken from these sources and written in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.