Visa Requirements for Hong Kong & Macau for Indian Tourists

Before we talk about the requirements, let me tell you briefly about Hong Kong’s administrative policies. Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China (HKSAR) which means that China visa rules and administrative policies do not apply to Hong Kong (yet!). Hong Kong has independent visa policies and international diplomatic relations with other countries.

Hong Kong aims to be a centre for trade, culture, art, education and innovation. Therefore the visa rules for Hong Kong are quite liberal. So much so that approximately 170 countries are visa exempt and India is one of them. Although you will need a little bit of paperwork to enter. Or more depending upon the type of visa you are looking for.

In this article, we are talking about a tourist visa or equivalent. A tourist visa means you are travelling to Hong Kong for the purpose of tourism and intend to stay there for less than 15 days before returning or travelling onwards.

If you are travelling for the purpose of tourism you do not need a visa to Hong Kong. But you will have to fill out a pre-arrival form instead before travelling to Hong Kong. However, I strongly advise to also cross check the current entry requirements for Indians in Hong Kong on their official website as well.

You can submit the form online and is free of cost. YOU DO NOT NEED AN AGENT FOR THIS. Once you fill it out and confirm, the form will generate a PDF version of it and will be available for you to download. This does not go through an approval process with the Hong Kong immigration authority. So it is a kind of self-fill-out form. Make sure to download the form and get a printout when travelling to Hong Kong.

You do not need any more documents than that apart from your passport with 6 months of eligibility.

If you are transiting Hong Kong to another country without leaving the airport then you do not need to fill out this form as well. If you plan to stay in Hong Kong for more than 14 days or travel for another purpose like work, education or residence, then you will need to apply for the appropriate visa via their embassy.

You can apply for pre-arrival registration on their official website. Click on this link to fill out the form. You will need the following details while filling out the form:

1. Passport Details (passport should be valid for 6 months or more)

2. Hotel/residential address in Hong Kong

You do not need to upload any information or photos to the portal. Just enter the correct information as you go. Make sure you double-check your passport information while submitting. You can always reapply for the pre-arrival registration in case your passport or other details change in future.

The pre-arrival registration is valid for 6 months from the date of registration. You can enter Hong Kong multiple times using the same registration as long as your maximum stay is up to 14 days every time. Once the pdf file is generated, make sure to take a printout of the same. A digital copy will not be accepted.

During the time of travel, you will need these in hand:

1. Indian Passport valid for 6 months or more

2. Print out of Pre-arrival Registration 

Before travelling to Hong Kong, you will need to show the above during the time of check-in on your flight. In Hong Kong, head to the immigration counter and show the same to the immigration officer. Usually, these are enough to get you through. However, in rare cases, the immigration officer may ask for additional details as follows:

1. Flight bookings return or onwards

2. Hotel bookings

3. Proof of adequate funds for your travel

Again, this is rare but I will suggest you have these details on your phone saved somewhere, just in case.

During the time of immigration, you will also need to fill out a departure card and a couple of slips that the immigration officer will hand over. Make sure that you keep them with you at all times. You will need these during the time of departure.

For the ones travelling to Hong Kong, it is common to extend their trip to Macau as well. Similar to Hong Kong, Macau is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China. Macau is a former Portuguese colony famous for its thriving casinos, nightlife and European architecture. So if you plan to travel to Macau, there are a few things that you will need to know.

Similar to Hong Kong, Macau is also open to a LOT of foreign countries. Which means that you may not need a visa at all during your travel. As of 2023, Indian citizens do not need a visa to travel to Macau. But you can check out the latest update on their official website.

You can always take a flight to Macau. But a ferry or a bus are more common transport options from Hong Kong. In both cases, you will need to go through immigration points – both in Hong Kong and Macau. Make sure you have your pre-arrival registration form and the slips from the time of initial immigration. You do not need any additional documents in Macau as well.

If you plan to return to Hong Kong before travelling onwards, you do not need to apply for pre-registration again if your existing form is still valid. Just keep it with you during the time of travel. 

Macau also on the list? Here is our detailed itinerary to Macau for tourists

In case you get into an issue that needs support like a lost passport, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Consulate General in Hong Kong. You can check out their official website for more details. Or you can head over to the Central area (google maps location).

Consulate General of India Address in Hong Kong:

16/F, United Centre, 95 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong 

There is no Embassy or Consulate General of India in Macau at the moment. The closest one is considered in Hong Kong. So keep that in mind.