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IMPORTANT: Please note that we have no competency in Foreign Domestic Helper visas. Any such questions are best directed at an FDH agency who have significant experience in those types of visas.

I receive 70-100 questions a week on this Blog and most of these are very succinct, allowing me to quickly drill down on the key issues and deliver value by augmenting the extensive content on both this Blog and also our D-I-Y immigration guide, the Hong Kong Visa Handbook.

But sometimes, I receive questions that just leave me stumped.

Not that I don’t have an answer, it’s just that the questions are so broad, all-encompassing and devoid of meaningful detail that it is impossible for me to address them without spending hours setting the scene, working to assumptions and, most critically, covering ground that is already well traveled elsewhere on our websites.

Questions such as these which came in last week:

I m interested for HK immigration.  I have been living in Zhuhai for last 10+ years. I’m Indian , wife is Chinese, son 7 years Chinese passport and daughter 10 months HK passport.  My education is from India – BBA, MBA , PhD ( doctorate ). Kindly send me detailed policies, procedures, your fee structure to obtain HK resident permit. Good day.

and

I have got some questions regarding Immigration. I am based in UK on Student visa, I arrived here in 2010 and completed my Masters in Marketing & Innovation. I have got 7 years professional experience in Airlines Industry as sales / Marketing / Customer services expert and currently working with the leading Airlines in London,UK. I got married and my wife is graduated in Education as well as in Fashion designing. I have been visited around 14 countries for visit as well as for my official training. Kindly mention that can I apply Immigration from UK as I am on Student Visa. Second thing if I can apply what will be the process how long does it takes to get it done and third what will be the charges for all this process and fourth what type of documents,I required for me and my wife.

Here’s the problem with these 2 questions:

Red Question

The questioner is interested in immigrating to Hong Kong. Lots of people are and they all need a visa rationale for being here.

I have no clue as to why he wants to come to Hong Kong so I have no idea what kind of visa might be suitable for him.

Does he want to work, join in or establish a business, study, invest capital or take a punt as a Quality Migrant?

Is he seeking some kind of leverage from the fact that his daughter is a HKSAR passport holder (making her a permanent resident?)

I can guess, of course, but that just takes me down the path of assumption which is not productive nor, in fact, is it required as the Hong Kong Visa Handbook sets out the various immigration categories quite clearly, allowing detailed self-assessment prior to reaching out to me to fill in the gaps.

This is why I spent 12 months writing, producing and publishing the Hong Kong Visa Handbook in the first place.

The problem is further compounded by the fact that there appear to be 3 travel documents in play: Indian, Chinese and HKSAR.

Lots of complexity here.

Finally, is the request for detailed policies and procedures (along with our service fee information).

Again, without understanding this questioner’s circumstances, visa rationale for Hong Kong or the immigration background that led to one of their children acquiring a HKSAR passport, it is impossible for me to even conceive of a solution for them, let alone price it.

Green Question 

Do you see a theme emerging here? I have no idea what nationality this questioner is, nor what he wants to do when he comes to Hong Kong.

He wants me to lay out the process for all suitable visa types along with the documents for the same.

Where am I supposed to begin answering a question like this?

I want to help, I really do.

At the Hong Kong Visa Centre we are very transparent about our desire to provide knowledge, information and detailed insight into the Hong Kong visa process so that visa applicants can make informed decisions about their immigration objectives for Hong Kong.

We also are wide open to discourse, provide a 100% free Your Questions Answered service where I PodCast responses to your questions within 48 hours and, as any of our clients or people who know me will attest, I am happy to chat with anyone who has a Hong Kong visa problem or query and is looking for answers.

But please, for me to help you, I need detail.

This means an investment of time on your part, setting out the scene for me and reviewing our extensive immigration content on this Blog and also on the Hong Kong Visa Handbook.

Then when you’re ready, lay out your question and I’ll PodCast you a complete answer.

It only takes me 5-10 minutes to do this and affords other people in the future access to these Q&As, allowing me to add to the public Hong Kong immigration knowledge base which is building steadily over time.

If you pose your question in the very general manner of the 2 examples given above, you are effectively asking me to spend hours and hours composing a response.

This is time I simply do not have and anticipates me repeating the detailed material already covered in the Hong Kong Visa Handbook.

So, please.

Help me help you by asking Hong Kong  immigration questions I can actually answer!

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