Hong Kong · Spouse visas
Hong Kong Spouse of a permanent resident
Entry for Residence as Dependant — Spouse or Partner of a Hong Kong Permanent Resident
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a permanent resident is a spouse visas route for Hong Kong. You can't take local work. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- HKD 330 ≈ $42
Cost, time and long term
Government feesHKD 330 ≈ $42
- HKD 330 (≈ $42)Ordinary visa or extension of limit of stay fee (not a specified scheme).
RenewalRenewable
Extensions of stay normally follow a 3-3 year pattern.
Permanent residenceAfter 7 years of residence
After a continuous period of not less than 7 years of ordinary residence you may apply for the right of abode (permanent resident status), and you must take Hong Kong as your place of permanent residence. Time as a foreign domestic helper, an imported-labour contract worker or a refugee, or spent unlawfully or in breach of a condition of stay, does not count.
Immigration Department, Hong Kong SARImmigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work isn't allowed on this route
- Not open to passports from Afghanistan, North Korea
What you'll need
Who can apply4
- Applicant is the spouse, or the other party to a recognised civil partnership or civil union, of a Hong Kong permanent resident or a resident with unconditional stay.
- A foreign civil partnership or union counts only if registered and legally recognised in the place where it was entered into.
- Reasonable proof of a genuine relationship exists and the applicant has no known adverse record.
- Applicant is not a Mainland Chinese resident, a national of Afghanistan or the DPRK, or a former Mainland resident of Macao with under 7 years on a Macao identity card.
What you must show1
- The sponsor can support the dependant at a standard well above the subsistence level.
Documents3
- Applicant: photograph, valid travel document and proof of relationship such as a marriage certificate.
- Sponsor: Hong Kong identity card, proof of financial standing (bank statements, tax receipts, salary slips) and proof of accommodation.
- Documents not in Chinese or English come with a certified translation.
Steps2
- Sponsor and applicant apply and upload documents online through the GovHK dependant application; the e-Visa is issued on approval.
- Processing normally takes six weeks once all documents are received; approval is at the Director of Immigration's discretion.
After you arrive2
- Extensions normally follow a 3-3 year pattern for the spouse.
- After 7 years of continuous ordinary residence a dependant may apply for the right of abode.
When you become tax resident
How Hong Kong decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- More than 60 days in a year of assessment (aggregated visits to Hong Kong)Non-Hong Kong employment: visits to Hong Kong totalling more than 60 days in the year of assessment make the pay for those services assessable on a days-in-days-out basis; any part of a day counts.
- Foreign-source income
Territorial
Hong Kong taxes under the territorial concept: salaries tax, property tax and profits tax apply to income arising in or derived from Hong Kong, whether the person is resident or not.
All tax rules for Hong Kong Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Accommodation
Sponsor: Hong Kong identity card, proof of financial standing (bank statements, tax receipts, salary slips) and proof of accommodation
- Certified translation
Documents not in Chinese or English come with a certified translation
- Police certificate and civil documents
Applicant: photograph, valid travel document and proof of relationship such as a marriage certificate
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Dependant entry for the spouse or registered civil partner of a Hong Kong permanent resident or other resident with no limit of stay, with work allowed. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- A fee of HKD 330 (≈ $42) · Ordinary visa or extension of limit of stay fee (not a specified scheme). 2
Requirements
- Applicant is the spouse, or the other party to a recognised civil partnership or civil union, of a Hong Kong permanent resident or a resident with unconditional stay. 1
- A foreign civil partnership or union counts only if registered and legally recognised in the place where it was entered into. 1
- Reasonable proof of a genuine relationship exists and the applicant has no known adverse record. 1
- Applicant is not a Mainland Chinese resident, a national of Afghanistan or the DPRK, or a former Mainland resident of Macao with under 7 years on a Macao identity card. 1
- The sponsor can support the dependant at a standard well above the subsistence level. 1
- Applicant: photograph, valid travel document and proof of relationship such as a marriage certificate. 1
- Sponsor: Hong Kong identity card, proof of financial standing (bank statements, tax receipts, salary slips) and proof of accommodation. 1
- Documents not in Chinese or English come with a certified translation. 1
- Sponsor and applicant apply and upload documents online through the GovHK dependant application; the e-Visa is issued on approval. 1
- Processing normally takes six weeks once all documents are received; approval is at the Director of Immigration's discretion. 1
- Extensions normally follow a 3-3 year pattern for the spouse. 1
- After 7 years of continuous ordinary residence a dependant may apply for the right of abode. 1
Stay
- Extensions of stay for spouses of permanent residents normally follow a 3-3 year pattern.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Nationals of Afghanistan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are excluded. Chinese residents of the Mainland cannot use this route when the sponsor is a permanent resident; the guidebook admits them only as dependants of people admitted under the listed work, study, investment and talent schemes. Not open to: Afghanistan, North Korea.
Work
Dependants of Hong Kong permanent residents and of residents with no limit of stay are not prohibited from taking up employment.
Family
Unmarried dependent children under 18 and parents aged 60 or above of the sponsor may also apply.
Official sources
- Guidebook for Entry for Residence as Dependants in Hong Kong, ID(E) 998 (04/2026) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2026-04-01
- Fee tables: visas, extension of limit of stay and other services · Immigration Department, Hong Kong · checked 2026-10-11
- The Position of Non-Chinese Citizens (right of abode) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
- Notes for Guidance: Application for a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a permanent resident and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a permanent resident | – | – | No |
| Spouse of a permanent resident Thailand | – | 3 mo, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a stay permit holder Indonesia | – | – | No |
| Spouse of a citizen United Arab Emirates | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a permanent resident?
A fee of HKD 330 (≈ $42). Ordinary visa or extension of limit of stay fee (not a specified scheme).
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a permanent resident?
Extensions of stay for spouses of permanent residents normally follow a 3-3 year pattern.
Can I work on the Spouse of a permanent resident?
No. Dependants of Hong Kong permanent residents and of residents with no limit of stay are not prohibited from taking up employment.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a permanent resident?
Unmarried dependent children under 18 and parents aged 60 or above of the sponsor may also apply.
Who can apply for the Spouse of a permanent resident?
Nationals of Afghanistan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are excluded. Chinese residents of the Mainland cannot use this route when the sponsor is a permanent resident; the guidebook admits them only as dependants of people admitted under the listed work, study, investment and talent schemes. Not open to: Afghanistan, North Korea.
Does the Spouse of a permanent resident lead to permanent residence in Hong Kong?
Time on the Spouse of a permanent resident counts toward permanent residence in Hong Kong, which the rules allow after 7 years of residence.
More in Hong Kong
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Guidebook for Entry for Residence as Dependants in Hong Kong, ID(E) 998 (04/2026) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR · checked 2026-10-12
- Fee tables: visas, extension of limit of stay and other services · Immigration Department, Hong Kong · checked 2026-10-11
- The Position of Non-Chinese Citizens (right of abode) · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
- Notes for Guidance: Application for a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR Government · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.