Immigration

Hong Kong maintains a separate immigration system from that of Mainland China. Citizens of most Western countries do not need a visa to visit Hong Kong. The Hong Kong visa can be applied for at a Chinese diplomatic mission, but must be done so separately from the Mainland Chinese one; there is no single visa that serves both areas. A visa is required to enter Mainland China from Hong Kong and vice versa. Macau is also a separate jurisdiction with regards to visas. If you wish to re-enter Mainland China after visiting Hong Kong, make sure you have a multiple-entry Chinese visa.

See Entry requirements to Hong Kong for a list of visa requirements or visa-free stays by country of citizenship. All holders of an APEC Business Travel Card can use the counters for Hong Kong residents at immigration control and can stay for up to 60 days in Hong Kong visa-free if their card has 'HKG' printed on the reverse.

Foreign nationals who cannot enter visa-free, want to remain for longer than permitted by their visa exemption, or want to work, study or establish/join a business, can apply for one at a Chinese embassy or consulate, or directly through the Hong Kong Immigration Department. Those living in Macau can apply for a visa at the Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Those living in Mainland China may apply at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai, or at the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR in Beijing.

Mainland Chinese citizens who reside in the mainland must obtain a card-styled entry permit (往來港澳通行證). They cannot use their passports to enter Hong Kong unless they are in transit to/from a foreign country. Mainland Chinese citizens may use their passport or Taiwan Travel Permit (往来台湾通行证) to transit through Hong Kong, in which case they may visit for up to seven days. Mainland Chinese citizens who reside overseas may also apply for an Entry Permit of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region at a Chinese diplomatic mission, and use their passport with such an entry permit to enter Hong Kong.

Holders of Macau permanent identity cards or Visit Permits with permanent resident status can enter Hong Kong visa-free for up to 180 days. Holders of Macao Visit Permits without permanent resident status can enter Hong Kong visa-free for up to 30 days. See Visit/Transit Arrangements to Hong Kong for Macao Residents for more details. Though they can be used when leaving Macau, Macau digital identity cards are not accepted by Hong Kong immigration, and the physical one must be presented when entering Hong Kong.

Citizens of Taiwan are granted visa-free access to Hong Kong for 30 days if they have a Mainland Travel Permit/Taiwan Compatriot Pass (Taibaozheng, 台胞證). Otherwise, a pre-arrival registration is required which can be applied for through the Immigration Department. See Arrangements for Entry to Hong Kong for Overseas Chinese and Chinese residents of Taiwan for more details. "Chinese residents of Taiwan" refers to citizens of Taiwan.

Holders of British National (Overseas) (BNO) passports cannot use these passports to enter Hong Kong and should instead use their Hong Kong passport, Hong Kong ID card, or Hong Kong document of identity when passing immigration and during their stay in Hong Kong.

Indian nationals do not require a visa, however they need to submit a pre-arrival registration (PAR) form. The PAR is valid for six months from date of issue / registration and allows for multiple entries during the validity period, each for a maximum of 14 days. A visit to Macau and back shall be considered a new entry and restarts the 14 day clock. However visitors may be subject to enquiries by the immigration officials during the re-entry about the purpose & reason for re-entry.

Expiry of the limit of stay is counted from the day after the date of entry. For example, if you have a 7-day visa and arrive on January 1, you are allowed to stay until January 8. If you are arriving late at night, you may want to wait until after midnight to clear immigration. Likewise, you may be able to clear immigration just before midnight on the last day that your visa is valid and then take a flight or boat in the middle of the night on the next day. For more information, see question #11 of the Visa FAQs.

Hong Kong no longer issues passport stamps, and visitors are instead given an entry slip with their terms of entry. All entries and exits are recorded electronically as well. You do not need to fill out a paper or digital arrival card.

Citizens of Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Libya, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Togo and Yemen are required to obtain a transit visa even for sterile transit through Hong Kong International Airport.

e-Channel

Regular visitors can register to use the e-Channel to avoid the queues by going through an automated barrier which uses fingerprint recognition technology. You may be eligible to use e-Channel if you are a Macau resident, are a mainland Chinese citizen holding holding a valid entry permit, or have a biometric passport issued by Australia, Germany, Singapore, South Korea or Thailand, and have visited Hong Kong at least twice in the past 24 months. You can also enroll on the basis of membership in some frequent flyer programmes (some of which require you to possess status in their upper tiers).

Hong Kong permanent residents can use e-Channels labelled for visitors if the gates for permanent residents are congested.

Customs

If you are carrying goods that are banned or more than your allowance, you must declare them at the Red Channel when you enter Hong Kong — even when travelling from Mainland China, Macau or Taiwan:

Meat and eggs, animal products, fish, rice (exceeding 15 kg)

Ozone depleting substances, items with forged trade marks, radio communication transmitting apparatus

Smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, and herbal cigarettes

Cannabidiol (CBD) is banned in Hong Kong. Offenders face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Pepper sprays and tasers are prohibited in Hong Kong even for transit visitors — while first-time offenders might receive a warning or fine (and the items confiscated), authorities can still charge you for unlawful possession of arms, a serious offence punishable for 14 years imprisonment.

A traveller aged 18 or above is allowed to bring into Hong Kong – for their own use – as part of their duty-free allowance:

1 litre of alcoholic liquor with an alcoholic strength above 30% by volume measured at a temperature of 20 °C

19 cigarettes or 1 cigar or 25 g of cigars or 25 g of other manufactured tobacco

If the traveller holds a Hong Kong Identity Card, they must have spent 24 hours or longer outside Hong Kong to benefit from the duty-free allowance relating to alcoholic liquor.

The Hong Kong government restricts the amount of baby milk powder formula that may be taken out of the territory to no more than 1.8 kg. Violation of this restriction could lead to fines and imprisonment.

For more information, visit the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department website.

By plane

Hong Kong International Airport

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG IATA), also known as Chek Lap Kok (赤鱲角), is on Lantau Island in the west of Hong Kong. The Airport Express train is the fastest and most comfortable way into town, but there are also numerous bus lines and taxis. See the article for more about the airport.

Shenzhen International Airport

As flights between Hong Kong and mainland China are treated as international flights, it is often cheaper to fly to Shenzhen Airport (SZX IATA), in the nearby mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen.

To travel between Shenzhen Airport and Hong Kong:

Direct buses operate between the airport and the Elements Shopping Mall, above the Kowloon MTR station. You can check-in and receive your boarding pass (except for China Southern Airlines passengers) at the check-in desk on the 1st floor of the shopping centre, opposite Starbucks. This in-town check-in is completely separate from the in-town check-in provided for Hong Kong International Airport. The cost of the service is $100 and the bus is advertised to take 75 minutes, but it usually takes 100 minutes. Buses run every 30 minutes from 6:30AM to 7PM from Hong Kong and from 10AM to 9PM from Shenzhen.

From Fuyong Ferry Terminal at Shenzhen Airport one can buy ferry tickets to Hong Kong. Passengers who need to transfer between flights at Hong Kong and Shenzhen airports can use the ferry service to/from Hong Kong airport without having to pass through Hong Kong immigration.

A cheaper way is to take Shenzhen Metro Line 11 from the airport to Futian in central Shenzhen (29 minutes, ¥7). From here, you can connect to the High Speed Rail direct to West Kowloon in downtown Hong Kong (15 minutes, $80). Even cheaper is taking Shenzhen Metro Line 10 to "Futian Checkpoint" (10 minutes, ¥2) (called Lok Ma Chau on the Hong Kong side) or Shenzhen Metro Line 1 to "Luohu" (20 minutes, ¥4) (Lo Wu on the Hong Kong side), then pass through a long corridor and an international border gate (have visa ready) and once in Hong Kong, hop on the East Rail suburban rail line to central Hong Kong (45 minutes, $35).

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is a bit further away than Shenzhen, but has more flights and with direct coach connections to Hong Kong.

Macau International Airport

It is also often cheaper to fly into Macau International Airport (MFM IATA). Air Asia has a hub at Macau from where it operates service to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai, among other cities.

To travel between Macau Airport and Hong Kong:

With the Express Link service, you can transfer directly from airport to ferry (or vice versa) without going through Macau immigration. $70 from Hong Kong (with baggage being checked in there) or $50 to Hong Kong, excluding the ferry ticket cost.

If you don't need a visa for Macau, the cheaper way is to clear Macau immigration and to go yourself to Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal just to the north from the airport. Outside of the airport, take a bus MT1 or 26 from "Rotunda de Aeroporto / Wai Long" bus stop, and get out at the terminal (normally the next stop). The ticket price is HK$4.2 or MOP4.2. From the airport, it's wise to get some change before taking this bus, and both the ATMs normally dispense both Hong Kong dollars and Macanese pataca, and the local shops accept the former in lieu of the latter (at 1:1 rate). You may get coins of both currencies as a change. It would take around 20 minutes to walk to the ferry terminal. If coming from Hong Kong, choose Cotai Water Jet ferry to get to Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal.

the AP1 bus will transport you to Macau Outer Ferry Terminal, but the bus trip will take longer as it will have to cross to the mainland part of Macau.

Those having a few hours to spare in Macau and not much baggage may choose to take one of the buses going to one of the casinos (Venetian, Sands, etc.) waiting both near the airport and the Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal, spend some time there, then return to either ferry terminal or the airport using a similar bus. These buses are free of charge.

By helicopter

Sky Shuttle. A helicopter service several times a day from the Terminal Marítimo in Macau to the Shun Tak Heliport (HHP IATA) at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Island. The trip takes 15 minutes and one-way fares cost $4,300. (updated Jul 2024)

By train

Multiple frequent high-speed trains connect Hong Kong with Shenzhen and Guangzhou every day, daily long-distance trains running further afield to several major cities across China such as Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming, Xi'an, Chengdu or Chongqing. MTR High Speed runs some high-speed passenger services up to Guangzhou under the Vibrant Express brand, while CRH (the high-speed branch of China Railways) operates the remaining short-distance trains and all the long-distance ones. It takes 23 minutes from Shenzhen, 48 minutes from Guangzhou, 8½ hours from Shanghai and 8 hours 10 min from Beijing on the daytime trains. Overnight high-speed sleeper services from Shanghai and Beijing run four times a week, taking 10 h 55 min and 11 h 27 min respectively. The line runs underground in Hong Kong, so don't expect to see any sights. High-speed rail is now your only option for travelling by train directly from the mainland.

Services on this line go to the 1 West Kowloon Station. This station is huge, although most of its footprint is underground. There is a food court (important as many shorter services don't have a dining car, including all Vibrant Express trains), as well as other facilities such as a business lounge and public waiting spaces. It is connected to Austin station on Tuen Ma line and Kowloon station on the Tung Chung and Airport lines, and to a bus terminal.

The station has several levels:

Both Mainland and Hong Kong immigration and customs are co-located at this station. The station's Mainland Port Area is under Mainland China's jurisdiction, and is demarcated by a yellow line. When you clear immigration to board a train at West Kowloon, you are subject to Mainland Chinese law. Chinese Internet censorship doesn't apply to the Mainland Port Area, as mobile internet service is provided by Hong Kong operators.

You can travel by a wider range of high-speed trains and overnight sleepers from many Chinese cities to Shenzhen, and then change to the Metro or another high-speed rail train to reach Hong Kong. Shenzhen Railway Station is adjacent to the Lo Wu/Luohu border crossing.

By ferry

Hong Kong is a one-hour hydrofoil ride away from Macau and there are also good connections from mainland China. If you plan to only visit Zhuhai, a visa-on-arrival is available at Jiuzhou Ferry Terminal for up to 3 days. The main terminals are:

2 Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, 202 Connaught Rd (Sheung Wan MTR exit D) in Central.

TurboJet, every 5–30 minutes, 24 hours a day from Macau.

Cotai Jet, every 15–30 minutes, 24 hours a day from Taipa, Macau.

3 Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal, 33 Canton Rd (Tsim Sha Tsui MTR exit A1) in Kowloon.

Chu Kong Passenger Transport, from Zhuhai and various other points in mainland China's Guangdong Province.

TurboJet, every 30 minutes from Macau.

Xunlong from Shekou in Shenzhen, mainland China.

If you're flying into Hong Kong airport to reach Macau or other cities in the Pearl River Delta, see Hong Kong International Airport for direct ferry options that skip Hong Kong immigration.

By cruise ship

4 Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is a newer terminal that opened on the site of the former Kai Tak Airport runway. The terminal supports two large ship berths. Known to be notoriously deserted with few shops, the terminal has limited access to public transportation, although there are free shuttle services to nearby shopping and public transportation when cruise ships arrive.

5 Ocean Terminal is the old cruise ship terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui, which is well connected to public transportation and shopping malls.

Check with your cruise line before you travel to find out which terminal your ship berths at.

By bridge

The 50-km Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge (HZMB), a bridge and tunnel opened in October 2018, was one of the largest construction projects in the world. The link makes it possible to travel quickly across the Pearl River Delta without taking the ferry.

Frequent HZMBus shuttle buses departing up to every 5 minutes, 24 hours a day are available to cross the HZMB. They take around 40 minutes, and tickets can be purchased with Octopus or AliPay from ticket machines, as well as cash and credit cards at the ticket desk at the 6 HZMB Hong Kong Kong Port. The Hong Kong Port can be reached by taxis or various buses including CityFlyer airport (A number) routes, or the B5 shuttle bus from Sunny Bay MTR station, or the B6 bus from Tung Chung. Once arriving at the 7 HZMB Macau Port you can take taxis or the 101X bus, the 102X bus to St Paul's and Taipa, or the HZMB Integrated Resort Connection bus (free) to Taipa Ferry Terminal or the Exterior Ferry terminal to connect to the free casino shuttle buses. Once arriving at the HZMB Zhuhai Port, you can take taxis or the L1 bus which uses historic tourist vehicles, or the 12, 23 or 25 buses to continue your journey in the mainland.

If you are flying into Hong Kong to get to Macau or Zhuhai, see the Hong Kong International Airport article for direct coach options that skip Hong Kong immigration.

To drive across the bridge, you must apply for a permit from the mainland government if travelling to Zhuhai or three separate permits (one from each of the Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland governments) to drive to Macau.

By other land crossings

Shenzhen is the Chinese city that borders Hong Kong. See China#Get in for information on visa requirements.

There are 8 land checkpoints between Hong Kong and mainland China. Be sure to note the opening hours of the border crossing before starting your journey. If you are driving across the border, you must have a set of plates issued by each of China and Hong Kong. You will have to change sides of the road at the border because people in Hong Kong drive on the left, and people in mainland China drive on the right.

Cross-boundary coaches travel to Hong Kong from several cities in mainland China and are usually easier than crossing the border via several transfers and several modes of transportation. For information on these bus services, see the website of each border crossing listed below. Other than the Shenzhen Bay Bridge and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, these crossings are within the frontier closed area, meaning it's illegal to head there without a permit unless you are crossing the border.

If you were shopping in mainland China and wish to claim a tax refund, they can only be processed at Man Kam To, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, Lo Wu and Shenzhen Bay Bridge control points.

By bicycle

Cycling into Hong Kong is only permitted through Heung Yuen Wai Control Point (Liantang Port on the Shenzhen side). You will need to dismount your bike and walk it through the pedestrian immigration hall, but there is no need to disassemble or fold it. After completing border formalities, you can continue the rest of your journey on bicycle.

Alternatively, you can bring a bicycle through some of Hong Kong's other border crossings, but the process is more of a hassle as you will need to fold or disassemble your bike and take public transport out of the Frontier Closed Area before you can continue cycling:

You can bring a bicycle across the border at Lo Wu Control Point, then board the MTR East Rail train. Bicycles are allowed on the train provided the front wheel is removed. You can alight at Sheung Shui station and continue the rest of your journey by bicycle if you wish.

You can also bring a bicycle across the border at Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point. In addition to the Lok Ma Chau MTR East Rail station, which you bring your bike onto under the same conditions as Lo Wu, it is also served by GMB minibus #75, which goes to Yuen Long, and KMB bus #B1, which goes to Tin Tsz Estate. Only folding bicycles are allowed on buses, provided they are folded. Once your bus leaves the Frontier Closed Area, you may alight and continue the rest of your journey by bicycle.