Hong Kong
Hong Kong Visa-free stay (6 months)
First stay: 6 mo
Visa-free visit of up to 180 days (British citizens)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Visa-free stay (6 months) is a long-stay route for Hong Kong. You can't take local work. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- First stay
- 6 mo
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work isn't allowed on this route
- Only for passports from United Kingdom
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- Hold a passport as a British citizen.
What you must show1
- Show adequate funds to cover the stay without working.
Documents1
- Hold an onward or return ticket, unless transiting to Chinese Mainland or Macao.
After you arrive2
- A visa or entry permit is needed to stay longer than the visa-free period.
- Visitors cannot take up paid or unpaid employment, join a business or enrol as a student.
When you become tax resident
How Hong Kong decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
6 months at first
- 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
Full official text
British citizens can visit Hong Kong without a visa for up to 180 days. Visitors may not work, study or run a business. 1
Requirements
- Hold a passport as a British citizen. 1
- Show adequate funds to cover the stay without working. 1
- Hold an onward or return ticket, unless transiting to Chinese Mainland or Macao. 1
- A visa or entry permit is needed to stay longer than the visa-free period. 1
- Visitors cannot take up paid or unpaid employment, join a business or enrol as a student. 1
Stay
- Up to 180 days per visit
- Initial permitted stay: 6 months.
Nationality
British citizens (United Kingdom passport). British Overseas Territories citizens, British Overseas citizens, British subjects and British protected persons have 90 days. Open to: United Kingdom.
Work
Employment (paid or unpaid), joining or establishing a business and study are not allowed as a visitor.
Official sources
- Visit Visa / Entry Permit Requirements for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-08
Visa-free stay (6 months) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa-free stay (6 months) | – | 6 mo | No |
| GCC citizens United Arab Emirates | – | – | – |
| Free movement by treaty Australia | – | – | – |
| Free movement by treaty New Zealand | – | – | Yes |
| Free movement by treaty Nepal | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Visa-free stay (6 months)?
Up to 180 days per visit
Can I work on the Visa-free stay (6 months)?
No. Employment (paid or unpaid), joining or establishing a business and study are not allowed as a visitor.
Who can apply for the Visa-free stay (6 months)?
British citizens (United Kingdom passport). British Overseas Territories citizens, British Overseas citizens, British subjects and British protected persons have 90 days. Open to: United Kingdom.
Similar visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 1 official source. 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.
- Visit Visa / Entry Permit Requirements for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region · Immigration Department, Hong Kong SAR · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-11. 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.