Hong Kong e-visa for Indians

Question

If you are one of the unfortunate ones who has been denied a PAR, perhaps my experience can offer some helpful insights.

I have to travel to Hong Kong on 14th December for 7 days to attend an academic conference. I realised that PAR will not be issued to me on 9th of November. Outright, I applied for the e-visa and thought that the time frame will be Ok for me as my travel date is more than 4 weeks which is the expected turnaround time for the visa as mentioned in the website. However, there was a catch that I missed: "Please note that it normally takes 4 weeks to process a visit/ transit visa/ entry permit application *upon receipt of all the required documents*."

Following was my timeline:

-- 9th November: applied for e-visa; submitted all the asked documents including booked tickets, booked hotel confirmation, bank statement, NOC from institute, invitation letter from the organizer of the conference that I wanted to attend, payslip, photo, passport scanned copy. However, I haven't received any email notification that the application is submitted.

-- 13th November: received acknowledgement; thought that still I have more than 4 weeks. Based on experience with UK and Europe visa, I had the impression that they will be providing the visa well in advance.

-- days passed without anything.

-- 6th December (Friday, IST 2 PM -> HKT 4:30 PM): received another email asking for additional documents:

1. Visit schedules in Hong Kong;

2. Photos of your previous visits to other countries/ territories.

Well, the second requirement confused me. So, instead of "photos of previous visits", I uploaded previous visa from my passport together with the stamps on my passport.

-- from that day, I started writing emails (bombarding) but none of them, I think, made any impacts; I received replies after days:

"This is to acknowledge receipt of your e-mail. We shall reply to you, where appropriate, as soon

as possible." and then:

"Your e-mail has been forwarded to our relevant Section for appropriate action."

It was sent to me as an email attachment.

-- Started calling in the hotline number. But they seemed useless to me. Some of them were of o help; some were polite and had given me promises, that they are forwarding my case to the concerned officer.

-- On 9th December (Monday morning) - called another number (found it in the website) which seems to me a direct number. My relief, it was indeed a direct number, without any IVR! I conveyed my scenario to the lady and she was helpful. She assured me that whatever the decision is, it will be communicated to me by coming Friday (13th Dec) as my flight is on the next day, on 14th.

-- 10 December (IST 7:30 AM -> HKT 10 AM): This time, I called a number which was at the top left of the pdf shared to me on 6th. Again, a lady picked up (direct call, no IVR!) and again I stated my situation. She assured that my case is being considered on an urgent basis.

-- 10 December (IST 1:30 PM): Got the visa approval along with the link to pay the HKD 230 fees. Got the e-visa right after paying the fees.

Now some general advise:

1. Apply well in advance.

2. If you have some previous visa, share them during the initial application.

3. For calling HK, I have used Viber which was flawless. There is an unlimited international free calling plan which can be cancelled after first 7 days with full refund (I used this!). Otherwise, it costs, I think, something around INR 600 / month.

4. Hotlines (via IVR) are not that useful for repeated requests. Direct numbers can be found in the immigration department office. Google: "List of Access Officers_ImmD(Eng)".

5. Remember that their office timing: 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM and they are 2.5 hours ahead of us. Do the calculation while making a call to them. I suggest catch them early.

6. Please be polite!

Disclaimer: My case might be considered differently from leisure trips as I have to visit to attend an academic conference and I had an invitation letter. But the overall scenario of communication, that I faced, could be similar.

Hope this helps some of you!

Answer

If you are an Indian citizen planning to visit Hong Kong, the e-visa process can be straightforward but requires careful preparation and timing.

Key points from the experience shared:

The e-visa processing time is typically around 4 weeks, but this is counted from the date the authorities receive all required documents. Missing documents can delay processing significantly.
It is essential to submit complete documentation upfront, including:

Confirmed flight tickets and hotel bookings
Bank statements
Invitation letters (if attending a conference or official visit)
Pay slips or proof of employment
Photos and scanned passport copy

Previous travel history is useful; provide visas or stamps from prior international trips if possible.
Even after submitting all documents, the Immigration Department may request additional information, such as detailed visit schedules or previous travel evidence. Promptly responding to these requests helps avoid delays.

Practical advice for managing the e-visa application:

Apply well in advance—ideally more than 4–5 weeks before your intended travel.
If additional documents are requested, respond quickly and accurately.
Use direct phone numbers to contact Immigration Officers rather than relying on IVR hotlines, which can be slow and less effective.
Tools like Viber with international calling plans can help avoid high calling costs.
Be aware of the Hong Kong time zone (2.5 hours ahead of IST) when calling the Immigration Department.
Always maintain polite communication; staff are more likely to assist with courteous requests.

Additional tips:

Include evidence of previous travel in your initial application to reduce the chance of extra document requests.
If attending conferences or official events, provide invitation letters and supporting documents as this may prioritize processing.
Monitor email closely for updates and confirmation links for fee payment once approved.

Summary:

While e-visa applications for Hong Kong generally work smoothly, careful preparation, timely submission, and proactive communication are key to avoiding last-minute stress. Applying well ahead of travel, providing complete documentation, and using direct contacts for queries will improve the likelihood of receiving your visa on time.

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