Finance

The issue of fiances prior to marriage and how the Hong Kong Immigration Department treat them is often confused so I was happy to receive this question recently. QUESTION My fiancé is a Philippine resident working in Hong Kong for the past 4 years. She met with a divorce lawyer and is filing for divorce from her Philippine husband.  Will be uncontested.  The lawyer from Hong Kong said the divorce will proceed faster if we show the court we filed for a fiancé visa and showed that to the court...Read Full Story

Not every stint for work or business means full time residency in Hong Kong so what to do about ‘half-timers’? QUESTION I am pursuing options to take up employment in Hong Kong and would like to know if there is any residence requirement for retention of a work visa. For example, how long can one be absent from the country in any one year?  This issue is important to me because I also wish to retain my employment/investment interest in the middle east and so am looking at a six month in Hong...Read Full Story

Excellent question earlier this week. Great opportunity to slay a few sacred cows. QUESTION Hi, one of the requirements for the work visa application is a proof of genuine vacancy. What if a sponsoring company doesn’t do job ads? What can he present? He recruits via his network since he is just a small company. Appreciate your inputs. More Stuff You May Find Interesting or Useful Why don’t immigration consultants typically help aspiring employees find jobs in Hong Kong? What happens if you...Read Full Story

Amazing really. more than 20 years in the business of Hong Kong immigration and this is the first time I can remember this question ever being raised. So, now you know! QUESTION Hi Stephen, I do not see this issue addressed on your web site (which, by the way, is fantastic). What are the medical requirements for a Canadian citizen applying for a Hong Kong work visa (sponsored through current employer)?  Does Hong Kong require HIV testing or other testing, and if so, can those tests be done...Read Full Story

Whist, unfortunately, same sex partners cannot (at this moment in time at least) qualify for dependant visas  the question is still begged as to how formal marriage or civil partnerships between such couples impacts on the Hong Kong immigration process. QUESTION Hi Geeza, Here is my question. I work for an Australian organisation in Portugal, but am thinking of moving to Hong Kong to work for our counterpart there. My same sex partner is Portuguese. We are not married, but we will get married...Read Full Story