How Can I Manage the Expiry of My Hong Kong Employment Visa With My Intention to Resign From My Job & Start My Own Business Here?
Posted in Employment Visas, Investment Visas, The Hong Kong Visa Geeza, Your Question Answered /
Juggling commitments to your employer and your employment visa status can be challenging when you plan to quit and start your own business…
QUESTION
I have been sponsored over the past 5 years by my current employer and I have now decided to set up my own business.
The limited company is being created whilst writing this email but I am still currently employed and my visa expires in April of this year.
I have looked at all the steps to submit an investment visa application and I understand that it will take longer than expected.
Counting that my current employer has already invited me to submit my visa extension, but at the same time I must process this new investment visa application, how would you recommend me to handle the situation?
By applying for the investment visa now, will my current employer be informed that I have started this process?
I want to avoid the surprise effect and ideally I want to hand my notice (1 month) before such situation happens.
The other option would be to extend my sponsorship in the first place with my current employer and apply for my investment visa later on.
The problem is that it will take me to the end of April (counting the month notice) more or less and that would be a time loss for my new business.
On a side note, I am also married and my husband has a dependent visa which expires at the same time as my current employment visa in April.
I am afraid that he might be in a position with no valid visa to stay in Hong Kong while the investment visa application is complete as I know that it may take 4-6 months.
What is your advice on this point?
Thanks a lot and happy new year of the Rooster!
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The Hong Kong Visa Geeza (a.k.a Stephen Barnes) is a co-founder of the Hong Kong Visa Centre and author of the Hong Kong Visa Handbook. A law graduate of the London School of Economics, Stephen has been practicing Hong Kong immigration since 1993 and is widely acknowledged as the leading authority on business immigration matters here for the last 24 years.
