Hong Kong visa requirements for Chinese citizens
Chinese citizens need a visa for Hong Kong and must apply for it before the trip at a consulate or embassy.
- Minimum passport validity
- Valid (6 months recommended)
Why is this passport validity required? →
Last verified: 8 October 2026
How this visa is processed
Public Security Bureau office of the place of residence on the Mainland (Exit-entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao with an exit endorsement)
A Mainland China resident does not enter Hong Kong on a visa: under the Basic Law, they need approval from the authorities of their place of residence. In practice that means the Exit-entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao (EEP) with an exit endorsement matching the purpose of the trip, both issued by the Public Security Bureau. Independent tourism requires the individual visit endorsement (Geren Luyou), available only to residents of Guangdong Province and 38 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan and Xi'an; others can join a group tour run by designated agencies, with the group visit endorsement, and must arrive and leave with the group. Visiting relatives uses the Tanqin endorsement and business trips the Shangwu one. The endorsement sets the stay and the number of journeys (single, double or multiple). Those only passing through Hong Kong to another country can use their PRC passport and get seven days per entry, without a prior permit, if they hold the travel documents for the destination and an onward booking.
Official application site →Application details verified on 8 October 2026. Sources: immd.gov.hk, Hong Kong Immigration Department, "Entry Arrangements for Mainland, Macao, Taiwan & Overseas Chinese Residents" (Basic Law Article 22(4), exit-entry permit and endorsements by purpose, individual visit list, group tours, stay and number of journeys, transit on a PRC passport). Checked 8 October 2026.
Verified practical details
You'll need to apply for a visa at a consulate or embassy before travelling. Here are the practical details we've verified:
Required documents
- A valid passport. Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs gives six months' minimum validity and warns that airlines usually refuse boarding with less; the UK Government says one month after departure. Six months is the safe choice.
- A passport with unofficial souvenir stamps from tourist sites in other countries is invalid for entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao: do not let anyone stamp it.
- Travellers connecting in Hong Kong for South-East Asia must also carry the visa for their final destination and six months' validity.
Transit rules
It is prohibited to bring in e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, herbal cigarettes and their devices, including in personal luggage, and since 30 April 2026 it has been illegal to carry an e-cigarette in a public place even if it is not in use; transit passengers who do not pass through immigration are exempt. CBD is classed as a dangerous drug and all cannabis products, including CBD oils, creams and foods, are illegal. Stun guns, sharp objects and martial arts equipment cannot be carried at the airport. In typhoon season, when the Observatory raises signal 8, shops and offices close and flights may be cancelled.
More Hong Kong rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the Hong Kong page:
Official portal: https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/visit-transit/visit-visa-entry-permit.html. Destination data verified on 25 September 2026. Sources: exteriores.gob.es (travel advice of Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for China, updated 12 June 2026, Hong Kong sections: 90 days visa-free, six-month validity, unofficial stamps, work and residence, checks with Macao and mainland China, typhoons); customs.gov.hk (Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department: alcohol and tobacco allowances in force since 1 August 2010; declaration above HKD 120,000 and penalties, Cap. 629, via a search restricted to the official domain); gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/hong-kong (UK Government: validity, e-cigarettes from 30 April 2026, CBD, prohibited items, yellow fever); sanidad.gob.es ("Listado de países") and who.int (WHO): yellow fever; data.unesco.org (World Heritage List). All checked on 25 September 2026. Also: immd.gov.hk (Hong Kong Immigration Department, visit and transit FAQs: section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance, HK$50,000 fine and two years in prison, extensions, 25 September 2026).
Travel insurance for Hong Kong
It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.
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Things to see and do in Hong Kong
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of Hong Kong can enter China visa-free. See the Hong Kong → China page.
Of the 7 passports from Eastern Asia that VisaRadar tracks, for travel to Hong Kong 5 enter visa-free, 1 need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival and 1 need a visa.
With a passport from China, in the rest of Eastern Asia you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Japan, Mongolia and South Korea; you need a visa for Macao, North Korea and Taiwan.
A passport from China ranks 113 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 77 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Chinese citizens need a visa for Hong Kong?
Yes. You must apply for the visa in advance at the relevant consulate or embassy.
What minimum passport validity is required?
A valid passport. Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs gives six months' minimum validity and warns that airlines usually refuse boarding with less; the UK Government says one month after departure. Six months is the safe choice.
What currency is used in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong Dollar (HKD).
Does a Chinese citizen need a visa for Hong Kong?
Not a visa, but the Exit-entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao with the exit endorsement matching the purpose, issued by the Public Security Bureau of their place of residence.
Who can visit Hong Kong as an independent tourist?
Residents of Guangdong Province and 38 Mainland cities, with the individual visit endorsement. Others can join an organised group tour.
Can I transit through Hong Kong on my Chinese passport?
Yes, in transit to another country: seven days per entry without a prior permit, with the destination's travel documents and an onward booking.
What do Chinese passport holders need for the countries near Hong Kong?
With a passport from China, in the rest of Eastern Asia you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Japan, Mongolia and South Korea; you need a visa for Macao, North Korea and Taiwan.
Related pages
See Hong Kong requirements for other passports →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.