Visa and other things to heed before booking Hong Kong Flight

Like any other destination, there are countless things to consider before booking flights to Hong Kong. Here is some information on entry requirements for Britons concerning passport and visa plus other useful information.

Hong Kong, a jewel in crown of the Far East, makes for a lovely holiday destination. Amongst a number of different travellers from all parts of the world, a fair number of Britons also buy tickets for flights to Hong Kong. However, before spending money on airfares to Hong Kong, one should be well acquainted with essential subjects like visa, passport, and medical requirements.

Visa Requirements

• Hong Kong is a part of the People’s Republic of China but continues to be a Special Administrative Region and has its own set of immigration policies. British nationals can stay in the country for a maximum period of six months without procuring a visa. However, this clause is only valid for British citizens. As per the website of Hong Kong’s Immigration Department, other British nationals can only stay in Hong Kong for 90 days without a visa. These nationals include British Overseas Territories citizens, British Overseas citizens, British subjects and British Protected persons.
• Similarly, citizens of British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, and British Virgin Islands planning to book cheap flights to Hong Kong can also stay in the country for a period of 90 days without a visa.

Passports

• British citizens are usually allowed to enter Hong Kong for six months if their passports are valid for six months or more. If the validity is less than six months, Hong Kong Immigration allows the passport holder to stay an extra month over the originally planned stay in Hong Kong. However, in this case, the validity period on the passport should cover this duration.
• British passport holders going to Mainland China through Hong Kong need to procure a Chinese visa before they reach the border. British passport holders do not get visa on arrival to Chinese borders. Defaulters run the risk of being fined and possibly detained by the Mainland Chinese authorities. Furthermore, travellers entering Hong Kong through Mainland China and leaving again through the mainland need to ensure that they carry a double or multiple entry visa for Mainland China.

Travelling with Children

Visitors who are single parent of an adult travelling alone with children may be required to furnish documents proving parental responsibility before being allowed to enter certain places. Children may also not be permitted to leave as long as the accompanying adult does not provide documents proving parental responsibility.

Health

• The UK and Hong Kong Reciprocal Health Care Arrangement expired on June 1997 and travellers maybe required to undergo temperature screenings right at the borders. Further medical tests can also be conducted as per the temperature screening results.
• Dengue fever is quite common in Hong Kong and one should also take adequate precautions against acquiring HIV/AIDS and other STDs.
• It is necessary to take medical counsel before booking one’s flights to Hong Kong and take all the required vaccinations. More information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks, and protection from general diseases can be obtained by calling NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 and by visiting the websites of the National Travel Heath Network and Centre NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel.

Local Laws

• Hong Kong’s legal structure is mainly based on UK law and one can attract on the spot fines for activities like spitting and littering. Similarly, ticket less travel on the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is a zero tolerance offence.
• Drug law is pretty strict and possessing drugs of any kind can land one in jail.
• Photographing military installations in Hong Kong should be avoided. Hong Kong’s defence has become the responsibility of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) since the handover in 1997 and all the erstwhile British military barracks have been taken over by the PLA.

Natural Disasters

Hong Kong is usually lashed by typhoons from months of April to October. This results in floods and landslides. In fact, warning signs are also flashed and whenever “Typhoon 8” signal is in place, public offices are shut down. These months may prove to be more conducive for many travellers looking for cheap flights to Hong Kong. Travellers can monitor local and international weather updates from Hong Kong Observatory (http://www.hko.gov.hk/contente.htm) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

Safety and Security

• Violent crime is not a big problem in Hong Kong but petty crimes such as pick pocketing and other types of street crime do take place in urban areas. Needless to say, one should be extra careful with wallets, passports, and credit cards in crowded areas.
• While visiting isolated areas, it is better not to wander away to unfamiliar places. For instance, while hiking in country parks, one should stay on marked trails. Similarly, it is unadvisable to visit unfamiliar places with large amounts of cash and other valuables.
• Travellers ought to exercise due caution regarding their luggage, while checking in and out of hotels.

(Source: Websites of FCO and Immigration Department of Hong Kong which must be referred for more detailed information. Southall Travel disclaims liability of any kind of losses or damages resulting from the use of above information)

Disclaimer:  The information in this article relating to visa/entry requirements is correct at the time of publishing. You must consult the relevant Embassy or Consulate for updated info on visa policies as requirements may change. You should check the up-to-date position in good time before booking/departure.