Hong Visa approved for 'collection from ImmD?

Question

My daughter's study visa for Hong Kong has arrived, total miracle, in ten days! She was notified by email but it says that they are making an appointment for her to collect it from ImmD, and she will be notified of the date and time. She is presently still in London at home, so do they mean somewhere in England, or from Hong Kong? She was told that she needed to show her study visa at the airport when arriving, so how would that work?

So welcome any advice, thank you Margaret

Answer

In the context of Hong Kong study visas, when the Immigration Department (ImmD) says your daughter will need to “collect” her visa, this refers to the procedure upon arrival in Hong Kong, not in the UK. Hong Kong does not issue physical visas at foreign consulates for most study visas; instead, they issue an approval notice or an entry permit.

Here’s how it typically works:

Once the visa is approved, your daughter receives an email notification with the approval notice. This approval notice serves as pre-clearance for travel.
The “appointment for collection” mentioned usually refers to the procedure at the Hong Kong airport or port of entry. She will present the approval notice to immigration officers, who will then issue the actual visa label or stamp in her passport.
She does not need to travel to any ImmD office in the UK; the collection happens in Hong Kong when she arrives.
It is important to have a printed copy of the approval notice and any other required documents (e.g., admission letter from the school) to show at immigration.

In summary, your daughter should prepare to show her approval notice and any supporting documents at Hong Kong airport. The ImmD will issue the visa at the point of entry, so she can legally enter and study in Hong Kong. There is no in-person collection in London.

Hong Visa approved for 'collection from ImmD?

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