Living in Hong Kong

There are close to 3,000 New Zealanders resident in Hong Kong, and considerably more when including dual nationals on the New Zealand passports.

The New Zealand community supports several active institutions. The New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (external link) (formerly known as the New Zealand-Hong Kong Business Association), founded in 1992, has approximately 100 corporate and individual members and aims to promote New Zealand’s economic presence in Hong Kong. The New Zealand Society of Hong Kong was established in 1957 as a social and cultural organisation for New Zealanders and further information about its activities can be found on the Society’s website. New Zealanders come together in a range of other ways. Victoria(external link), Auckland(external link) and Otago(external link) Universities each have alumni association links with Hong Kong. In recent years, the community has worked together to host an annual KiwiBall which is held around mid-year, attracting over 400 participants.

New Zealanders are widely represented in business and various professions in Hong Kong. Several New Zealanders hold prominent positions in various fields, including the legal profession (with several New Zealanders serving as judges and magistrates), finance, media, energy, engineering, construction, transport, medicine, teaching and accountancy. On the sporting front, New Zealanders have been active in the promotion of rugby, netball, sailing and tennis in Hong Kong. New Zealand has had a major presence at the annual Hong Kong Rugby Sevens competition since its inception over 40 years ago.

Getting married in Hong Kong

New Zealand citizens wishing to get married in Hong Kong should contact the Hong Kong Immigration Department(external link) for details.

Overseas visitors to China: Visa issuing procedures

New Zealanders are advised to apply for their visa to China in the country they are ordinarily resident. (If you live in New Zealand, you should obtain your visa before you leave.)

Business visitors (F-visa) should also note that, in addition to providing passport, passport photos and completed application forms, you will need to provide:

A Visa Notification Form issued by the relevant department of Chinese government or a government- authorised company;
A copy of your Chinese hotel booking; and
A copy of your return flight ticket booking.

To obtain a "Visa Notification Form" we recommend that business travellers liaise with their colleagues in mainland China who will need to obtain the Form from the relevant Chinese Government department on their behalf. The required forms cannot be obtained outside mainland China.

Additional information on visas for travel to China can be found at the following links:

Travelling out of Hong Kong with your New Zealand passport

Ensure that you have a valid passport. Most countries require that your passport has at least 6 months’ validity upon entry. Airlines or carrier agencies may not allow you to board if your passport does not have 6 months’ validity. If you intend to travel to the United States under the visa waiver programme, please ensure that your passport is machine-readable to satisfy the visa waiver requirements. If your passport is non-machine readable, you will need to apply for an entry visa before entering the United States.

Ensure that you have a current visa for your destination/s. Contact the local Consulate of the country of destination to determine whether or not a visa is required. You will not be able to board the plane without a visa.
Ensure that you have sufficient visa pages in your passport. Some countries’ visas take up a whole page.
Ensure that travel documents are kept in a safe place. Ensure that the destination is safe for travel. Register your travel on the Safe Travel Website(external link) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade before your departure.
Ensure that you have travel insurance.

Please also refer to the Quick checklist and tips(external link) on the Safe Travel Website for further advice.

Working and setting up in Hong Kong

For general information on Hong Kong, please consult the official publications Hong Kong Fact Sheets, the Hong Kong Yearbook and Hong Kong In Brief(external link) provided by the Hong Kong Government Information Service.

For information on obtaining work permits and visas for Hong Kong and to download visa application forms, please visit the Hong Kong Immigration Department(external link) for information on various types of visas for investment, work, study, dependents and visit.

For information on working in Hong Kong, please see Hong Kong's policy for entry for employment, employment opportunities for professionals and English teachers, taxation and relevant links(external link) provided by the Hong Kong Government Information Service.

For information on setting up in Hong Kong, please read an overview of the different aspects of living in Hong Kong(external link) and tips for settling in with direct links for various relevant Hong Kong Government Departments for topics of interest to new arrivals provided by the Hong Kong Government Information Service.

For information on visiting Hong Kong, please see tourist attractions, a dining guide, Hong Kong Event Calendar, a digital map of Hong Kong and other handy tools for travellers and other online resources(external link) for visitors provided by the Hong Kong Government Information Service.

You can also download the online PDF version of the English version of Your Guide to Services in Hong Kong(external link) published by the Hong Kong Government.

For further information on working or investing in Hong Kong, please contact the office of Invest Hong Kong(external link).