Student Visa / Entry Permit
In general, unless a person has the right of abode or right to land in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (HKSAR), he/she requires a visa/entry permit to study in the HKSAR. While each application is determined on its individual merits, an applicant should meet normal immigration requirements (such as holding a valid travel document with adequate returnability to his/her country of residence or citizenship; be of clear criminal record and raise no security or criminal concerns to the HKSAR; have no likelihood of becoming a burden on the HKSAR, etc.) as well as the relevant specific eligibility criteria detailed here before he/she may be considered for the grant of a visa/entry permit. It should be noted that the eligibility criteria may be subject to change from time to time.
Apply through the University
All student visa applicants are required to have a local sponsor.
CityUHK may act as the local sponsor for students who are accepted to study in an eligible locally-accredited programme
If you wish to seek visa sponsorship from the University, please complete and submit an online Request for Visa/Entry Permit Sponsorship form using the link specific to the programme type.
Each online visa sponsorship request is specific to the programme to which the applicant has been admitted (for new students) or in which the applicant is currently enrolled (for current students requiring a new visa).
| Admission Route / Student Type | Submit the Request for Student Visa/Entry Permit Sponsorship via the link specific to your programme |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Programmes | CityUHK Admission Application System Note: please log in your Admission Application account and submit the request. |
| Taught Postgraduate Programmes | |
| Research Degree Programmes | |
| Professional Doctorate Programmes | |
| Inbound Student Exchange Programmes (Undergraduates) | CityUHK Institutional-level Inbound Exchange Application System Note: please log in your Inbound Student Exchange Application account and submit the request. |
| Current CityUHK Students | AIMS: Student Services > Request for Student Visa/Entry Permit Sponsorship |
After submitting the request, students should provide the required documents (see “Required Documents” section) to the Admissions Office.
As processing may take 8 weeks or longer, students are advised to submit their student visa/entry permit applications according to the suggested timeline below, unless otherwise instructed by academic or supporting units.
| Admission Route / Student Type | Semester A (September Intake) | Semester B (January Intake) |
| Inbound Exchange Students / Visiting Students | By 1st June | By 1st November |
| Undergraduate Programmes | One week after your acceptance fee payment deadline as listed in your admission offer. Example: Acceptance fee payment deadline: 17th May Student visa application should reach Admissions Office by 24th May | N/A |
| Taught Postgraduate Programmes, Research Degree Programmes and Others | As soon as possible |
Please prepare the requested documents according to the submission sample and checklist.
- Submission sample and checklist
- DO NOT staple the documents together when submitting documents.
After you have prepared all the required documents, please mail them to the following address. Before mailing your application, please scan all documents and save the copies for your records.
Admissions Office
Room 3210, 3/F, Yip Kit Chuen Building
City University of Hong Kong
Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon
Hong Kong
A non-refundable and non-transferable administrative fee of HKD 600 will be charged by the University for each student visa application. This administrative fee does not include the visa fee payable to the Immigration Department of the HKSAR (the Immigration Department).
An application fee for visa will be charged by the Immigration Department. Students are required to settle the visa fee directly with the Immigration Department after their application is approved.
Acceptable payment methods:
- CityUHK Pay : Students are encouraged to settle the payment through CityUHK Pay, the integrated online payment portal of the University which supports the following digital payment methods.
- Bank Draft Deposit: Students can also mail a bank draft made payable to "City University of Hong Kong" in Hong Kong dollars together with the visa application to us.
The University will issue the ID995B form and forward the visa application to the Immigration Department for approval. Kindly note that only a full and complete set of visa application with all required documents enclosed will be sent to the Immigration Department.
The Immigration Department will issue the electronic version of the “Notification Slip for Entry Visa / Permit” (e-Visa) when a student visa/entry permit is approved.
The University will notify the applicant via email when their application is approved. The applicant can then proceed to settle the visa fee to be charged by the Immigration Department and download their e-Visa.
Applicants can print the “e-Visa” or save a soft copy on their mobile devices for immigration clearance upon entry to Hong Kong.
Applicants who are permanent residents of Chinese Mainland should present the “e-Visa” to the public security bureau office in Chinese Mainland where their household registration is kept, and apply for an “Exit-entry Permit for Traveling to and from Hong Kong and Macau” and a relevant exit endorsement before entering HKSAR.
Student visa / entry permits must be validated upon entry to the HKSAR. Visa / entry permit holders must present the e-Visa to the immigration officer at the control point. A landing slip bearing your name, travel document number, arrival date, conditions, and limit of stay in HKSAR will be issued upon arrival. Students should not lose the landing slip as it is the proof of their condition of stay in the HKSAR.
- The University will not be able to sponsor a student visa / entry permit application if the application is incomplete.
- The Immigration Department may request additional information and documents while processing the student visa / entry permit application.
- Student visa / entry permit holders are subject to the following conditions of stay:
- Students must attend the educational institution, i.e. City University of Hong Kong, and undertake the programme or course of study as named in the letter of admission issued by the University.
- Students must not take up any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establish or join any business, unless students have secured prior approval from the Immigration Department (see Part-time Work & Internship).
- It is the student's sole responsibility to:
- obtain a valid student visa / entry permit before entering the HKSAR.
- maintain a valid travel document.
- understand and comply with the terms and conditions of his/her student visa / entry permit while studying in the HKSAR.
- notify the Admissions Office if there is a change for any reasons in his/her academic circumstances during the visa application process (for example, accepting another programme, having difficulty to enrol in the University on schedule, or declining the admission offer).
- The University reserves the right to withdraw sponsorship and report to the Immigration Department if a student's study and/or enrolment status at the University has changed.
- Applicants are reminded that their student visa / entry permit for studying in the University and their permission to remain in Hong Kong will end upon expiry of their approved stay or four weeks after termination of studies, whichever is earlier.
- If there is any change of information after submission of a visa application, please inform the Student Visa Team immediately. A new application may be required.
