Student VISA Application

Under the Immigration Ordinance, unless a person has the right of abode or right to land in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), he/she requires a valid visa/entry permit issued by the Immigration Department (IMMD) to study in Hong Kong.

* According to the Education Bureau (EDB), non-local students are defined as students holding:

In this relation, unless non-local students* have a visa/entry permit under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates or a dependent visa/entry permit that was issued when they were 18 years old or above, they should submit an application for student visa/entry permit with all necessary documents to IMMD via the Admissions Team (Undergraduate) for undergraduate programmes and Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes.

After confirming that you have accepted the admission offer and settled the tuition fees, the University will assist you in applying for student visa/entry permit. You are required to complete the application form for student visa/entry permit and submit it with all necessary documents to the University by post/in person.

Please refer to the application procedures above.

One of your parents should authorize the sponsor or your relative/friend in Hong Kong to be your guardian. A consent letter duly signed by both the guardian and one of your parents should be produced. Also, you are required to provide proof of your accommodation arrangement.

For details of required documents, please refer to the Required Documents section above.

It normally takes IMMD around 6-8 weeks to process an application upon receipt of all necessary documents. IMMD will not be able to start processing the application unless all the required documents and information have been received. All applications are processed and determined by IMMD. Approval of applications is entirely discretionary and is subject to changes in government policies. The Director of Immigration reserves absolute discretion to refuse any application even if the application meets all eligibility criteria.

*The above estimated processing time is for reference only. The availability of student visa/entry permit is subject to the processing and approval procedures of Immigration Department. Some cases may take a longer time to process in case extra documents and/or information are requested by Immigration Department for further evaluation.

Students are advised to submit the visa application as early as possible. This is especially important for Mainland students as they may have to apply for Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to Hong Kong and Macau (EEP) (往來港澳通行證) and a relevant exit endorsement (逗留D簽) from the Exit and Entry Administration Office of the Public Security Bureau of the Mainland at the place of their household registration.

Once the receipt of application has been acknowledged, applicants can enquire their application status via the IMMD online application status enquiry or through the 24-hour telephone enquiry system at (852) 3160 8663.

The University will inform you via email once your application result is released. Please make sure your email address is correct.

Under normal circumstances, the University will inform you via email when your e-student visa is ready for download from IMMD website. If you are not able to view or download the e-student visa, please contact us as early as possible.

No, you are not allowed to attend any classes at the University without a valid student visa/entry permit. Please make appropriate visa arrangements before entering Hong Kong.

To activate your student visa/entry permit, the visa/entry permit label should be affixed onto a blank visa page of the applicant’s travel document for presentation to the immigration officer upon arrival in HKSAR.

The successful applicant who is a Chinese resident of the Mainland should also apply for Exit-entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao (EEP) (往來港澳通行證) and relevant exit endorsement (逗留D簽) from the relevant Mainland authorities. The applicant’s EEP bearing the relevant exit endorsement should be presented together with the entry permit label issued to him/her for immigration arrival clearance.

If you are not currently staying in Hong Kong, you will need to contact the Admissions Team (Undergraduate) (or Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes) to re-apply for a student visa. You will have to prepare a letter of explanation to Director of Immigration to explain your reason for missing the activation deadline.

If you are currently staying in Hong Kong, you must confess to IMMD by visiting the IMMD office as soon as possible as you will have been regarded as an illegal overstayer. You will also have to contact our office to re-apply for your student visa and prepare a letter to Director of Immigration to explain your reason for missing the activation deadline.

Please note that students who fail to provide the landing slip to the University within 4 weeks after the term has commenced/as soon as practicable will be de-registered and the University will inform IMMD of their termination of studies at the University.

You will be deemed as failing to meet the entry requirements if you fail to provide the valid official proof on or before the deadline stipulated in the conditional offer letter.

The University will de-register all applicants who fail to meet the entry requirements and will inform IMMD of their termination of studies at the University. The student visas of these de-registered applicants will be terminated by IMMD eventually. Applicants whose student visa have been terminated are required to leave Hong Kong within 4 weeks from the date of termination of the studies. Please note that it is an immigration offence for breach of condition of stay if the applicants concerned fail to leave Hong Kong within the prescribed time.

Please note that receiving your student visa does not mean that you have fulfilled the conditions set out in the conditional offer.

According to the Hong Kong SAR Government, anyone who intends to stay in Hong Kong for a period exceeding 180 days is required to apply to the IMMD for a HKID card.

If you have not obtained the HKID card yet, you are advised to make an online appointment for the HKID card application before visiting the Registration of Persons Offices. The appointment booking services are available through the online appointment booking for identity cards application (Registration of Persons Offices) or Immigration Department Mobile Application.

If you have already obtained the HKID card, you are required to complete and submit the form ‘Amendment of personal particulars’ together with a photocopy of your HKID card to Student Records Team of HKMU as soon as possible.

Address of Student Records Team: A0511, Level 5, Block A, HKMU Main Campus, 30 Good Shepherd Street, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Yes, the University must confirm that your student visa has been activated. You are required to present your visa/entry permit label with landing slip and Exit-entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao (EEP) (往來港澳通行證) to the Admissions Team (Undergraduate) (or Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes) as soon as possible after you have activated your student visa/entry permit. Note that, non-local students who fail to present relevant documents to the University may be de-registered.

Non-local students are responsible to keep your student visa/entry permit safe and in good condition at all times. In case your student visa/entry permit has been lost or stolen, you should apply to IMMD for a replacement as soon as possible.

Please refer to the Replacement of Visa / Entry Permit section under Current Student for application details.

No. Your current student visa/entry permit will remain valid.

In the event that students switch from one programme to another at the University, the NOL in respect of the previous study programme will cease to be valid. The eligibility for study/curriculum-related internship, part-time on campus employment and summer jobs will be assessed afresh. A new NOL will be issued if applicable. Admissions Team (Undergraduate) (or Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes) will seek approval from the Director of Immigration on your behalf, and will inform you after the new NOL is issued, if applicable.

Non-local students of full-time locally-accredited local programmes at undergraduate level or above will be issued a “No Objection Letter” (NOL) upon the approval of application for student visa/entry permit.

Please note that the duration of the internship or employment is up to one academic year, or one-third of the normal duration of the relevant full-time academic programme, whichever is shorter.

We will inform eligible students to collect the new NOL at an appropriate time every year.

Non-local students of full-time locally-accredited local or non-local programmes at undergraduate level or above whose study period is not less than one academic year may take up internship subject to the following conditions:

i. The internships must be study/curriculum-related and be arranged or endorsed by the institutions they are studying in; and

ii. The duration of the internship is up to one academic year, or one-third of the normal duration of the relevant full-time academic programme, whichever is shorter.

There is no restriction on the nature of work, level of salary, location, number of working hours and employers for the internship arrangements.

Eligible students will be notified of the internship arrangement individually by a “No Objection Letter” (NOL) which will spell out the type(s) and conditions of employment which the student may take up.

The study/curriculum-related internship cannot take place before a non-local student has officially registered with the institution and begun attending any scheduled classes of his/her registered programme in Hong Kong, or when the student concerned has already fulfilled all the course/credit requirements for graduation (e.g. a student who has just finished his/her final year of study).

Non-local students of full-time locally-accredited local programmes at undergraduate level or above whose study period is not less than one academic year may, during the currency of their limit of stay, can take up:

i. part-time on-campus employment for not more than 20 hours per week throughout the year;

ii. employment during the summer months from 1 June to 31 August (both dates inclusive) without any limit in relation to work hours and location.

Eligible students will be notified of the part-time on-campus employment and/or summer job arrangement individually by a “No Objection Letter” (NOL) which will spell out the type(s) and conditions of employment which the student may take up.

You should email the Admissions Team (Undergraduate) (or Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes) for assistance.

Application fee for the first student visa application is waived for new students. But application fee of any other subsequent applications of renewal/replacement/extension of student visa will be borne by students.

If student visa holders terminate their studies at HKMU, the University will report the termination of study to IMMD. As students who terminated their studies are no longer full-time students at the University, they must leave Hong Kong within 4 weeks from the date of termination of study. It is an immigration offence for breach of condition of stay if students fail to leave Hong Kong within the prescribed time.

Under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG), non-local students who have obtained an undergraduate or higher qualification in a full-time and locally-accredited programme in Hong Kong may apply for staying/returning and working in Hong Kong. If normal immigration requirements are met, they may be granted 24 months’ stay on time limitation only without other conditions of stay.

Please click here for further information.

Prospective non-local fresh graduates who intend to apply to stay and work in the HKSAR under the IANG but have not yet secured graduation results may apply for interim extension of stay on student condition to wait for the promulgation of results.

Students are required to submit an application for interim extension of stay directly to the Quality Migrants and Mainland Residents Section (for Mainland fresh graduates) or Extension Section (for other non-local graduates) of IMMD with the following documents:

Please note that all prospective non-local fresh graduates who have been granted interim extension of stay on student condition to wait for the promulgation of their graduation results cannot take up any employment without the prior approval from IMMD.

Mainland students who have been granted interim extension of stay are required to apply for extension of the validity of their exit endorsement through the China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited, as authorized by the Bureau of Exit-Entry Administration of the Ministry of Public Security, before leaving the HKSAR. They are also required to return within their valid limit of stay.

*Application for working/staying in Hong Kong under IANG do not require a supporting letter issued from the University.

If you are a new student, please contact Admissions Team (Undergraduate) (or Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes) for assistance. You will be required to submit a completed application form for withdrawal from studies. The University will cancel your application for student visa after your application for withdrawal from study is approved.

If you are a current student, please submit your application via myHKMU. You will be required to leave Hong Kong within 4 weeks after the date of withdrawal of the studies if your application is successful. Your student visa will be expired by then.

Non-local students with the need to extend the period of stay in Hong Kong due to deferment of study, outbound exchange or expiry of visa/entry permit are required to apply to IMMD for the extension of stay in Hong Kong before the expiry date of current student visa/entry permit. Please refer to the Extension of Stay section above for application details.

* If your current student visa/entry permit is already expired, you are required to re-submit an application for student visa/entry permit and all necessary documents to IMMD via the Admissions Team (Undergraduate) (or Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes).

It is your responsibility to check for the expiry of your student visa/entry permit and apply for visa extension on time in accordance with the Immigration Rules. You can find the current limit of stay in your travel document or “e-Visa”. Please refer to the samples from IMMD website.

Students are required to submit the application for extension of stay in Hong Kong with the following forms and documents to IMMD by themselves.

To apply for the supporting letter from HKMU to substantiate your application, you are required to email the Admissions Team (Undergraduate) (or Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes) around 5-8 weeks before the expiry date of your current student visa/entry permit.

You should email the Enrolment Team (Undergraduate) (or Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes) around 5-8 weeks before the expiry date of your current student visa/entry permit.

IMMD normally takes around 2-3 weeks to process the application upon receipt of all necessary documents. However, the processing time will also depend on the circumstances of individual applications and the number of applications received by IMMD at a particular time. Please refer to the Extension of Stay section above and get all necessary documents prepared on time.

You should re-submit an application for student visa/entry permit with all necessary documents from IMMD via the University.

Please refer to the Entry for Study in Hong Kong (Continuing Students) section above for application details.

Non-local students are responsible to keep your student visa/entry permit safe and in good condition at all times. In case your student visa/entry permit has been lost or stolen, you should apply to IMMD for a replacement as soon as possible.

Please refer to the Replacement of Visa / Entry Permit section above for application details.

No. Your current student visa/entry permit will remain valid.

In the event that students switch from one programme to another at the University, the NOL in respect of the previous study programme will cease to be valid. The eligibility for study/curriculum-related internship, part-time on campus employment and summer jobs will be assessed afresh. A new NOL will be issued if applicable. Admissions Team (Undergraduate) (or Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes) will seek approval from the Director of Immigration on your behalf, and will inform you after the new NOL is issued, if applicable.

Non-local students of full-time locally-accredited local programmes at undergraduate level or above will be issued a “No Objection Letter” (NOL) upon the approval of application for student visa/entry permit.

Please note that the duration of the internship or employment is up to one academic year, or one-third of the normal duration of the relevant full-time academic programme, whichever is shorter.

We will inform eligible students to collect the new NOL at an appropriate time every year.

Non-local students of full-time locally-accredited local or non-local programmes at undergraduate level or above whose study period is not less than one academic year may take up internship subject to the following conditions:

i. The internships must be study/curriculum-related and be arranged or endorsed by the institutions they are studying in; and

ii. The duration of the internship is up to one academic year, or one-third of the normal duration of the relevant full-time academic programme, whichever is shorter.

There is no restriction on the nature of work, level of salary, location, number of working hours and employers for the internship arrangements.

Eligible students will be notified of the internship arrangement individually by a “No Objection Letter” (NOL) which will spell out the type(s) and conditions of employment which the student may take up.

The study/curriculum-related internship cannot take place before a non-local student has officially registered with the institution and begun attending any scheduled classes of his/her registered programme in Hong Kong, or when the student concerned has already fulfilled all the course/credit requirements for graduation (e.g. a student who has just finished his/her final year of study).

Non-local students of full-time locally-accredited local programmes at undergraduate level or above whose study period is not less than one academic year may, during the currency of their limit of stay, can take up:

i. part-time on-campus employment for not more than 20 hours per week throughout the year;

ii. employment during the summer months from 1 June to 31 August (both dates inclusive) without any limit in relation to work hours and location.

Eligible students will be notified of the part-time on-campus employment and/or summer job arrangement individually by a “No Objection Letter” (NOL) which will spell out the type(s) and conditions of employment which the student may take up.

You should email the Admissions Team (Undergraduate) (or Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes) for assistance.

Application fee for the first student visa application is waived for new students. But application fee of any other subsequent applications of renewal/replacement/extension of student visa will be borne by students.

If student visa holders terminate their studies at HKMU, the University will report the termination of study to IMMD. As students who terminated their studies are no longer full-time students at the University, they must leave Hong Kong within 4 weeks from the date of termination of study. It is an immigration offence for breach of condition of stay if students fail to leave Hong Kong within the prescribed time.

Under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG), non-local students who have obtained an undergraduate or higher qualification in a full-time and locally-accredited programme in Hong Kong may apply for staying/returning and working in Hong Kong. If normal immigration requirements are met, they may be granted 24 months’ stay on time limitation only without other conditions of stay.

Please click here for further information.

Prospective non-local fresh graduates who intend to apply to stay and work in the HKSAR under the IANG but have not yet secured graduation results may apply for interim extension of stay on student condition to wait for the promulgation of results.

Students are required to submit an application for interim extension of stay directly to the Quality Migrants and Mainland Residents Section (for Mainland fresh graduates) or Extension Section (for other non-local graduates) of IMMD with the following documents:

Please note that all prospective non-local fresh graduates who have been granted interim extension of stay on student condition to wait for the promulgation of their graduation results cannot take up any employment without the prior approval from IMMD.

Mainland students who have been granted interim extension of stay are required to apply for extension of the validity of their exit endorsement through the China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited, as authorized by the Bureau of Exit-Entry Administration of the Ministry of Public Security, before leaving the HKSAR. They are also required to return within their valid limit of stay.

*Application for working/staying in Hong Kong under IANG do not require a supporting letter issued from the University.

If you are a new student, please contact Admissions Team (Undergraduate) (or Admissions Team (Postgraduate) for postgraduate programmes) for assistance. You will be required to submit a completed application form for withdrawal from studies. The University will cancel your application for student visa after your application for withdrawal from study is approved.

If you are a current student, please submit your application via myHKMU. You will be required to leave Hong Kong within 4 weeks after the date of withdrawal of the studies if your application is successful. Your student visa will be expired by then.