No visa, return plane ticket for more than 90 days. Problems?

Hi, I'm an assistant professor in a Spanish university, and I was given a grant to stay for several months in a foreign university. I chose Hong Kong, and a stay of 6 months.


I asked the local chinese consulate (in Madrid) about the visa and they told me that they cannot give me a visa for Hong Kong, that they could simply act as a proxy and send the documentation there. They also told me that it would be easier if the Hong Kong university did all the paperwork.


The problem is I have to leave before december 1st, and that leaves me only 7 weeks to get all the papers done, sent them there, and get my visa back to Spain. I was given another option: to go as a visitor (I have 90 days w/o visa), get my visa once there, get out of HK and enter again with the visa. OR, go there as a visitor, get out of HK, and enter again as a visitor (2 stays of 90 days).


Well, that sounds fine, but I don't know if the girl in the chinese consulate was overly confident. I'm afraid I might have problems upon arrival, because if the immigration agent asks me for a return ticket, he'll see that the return ticket is for 6 months after the arrival, and therefore I'm intending to stay for more than 90 days. Yeah, I can tell him that I plan to leave the country before 90 days (I'll probably visit Japan) and enter again, but I don't know how "tight" the immigration agents are in HK (I hope not as much as in USA). And if they force me to get back to Spain, I'll lose A LOT of money (2 plane tickets and the deposit for the apartment... that can be more than 5000 euros).


So, what are your experiences? Do you think I might have problems? What do you think is my best option?


Thanks :)

personally i've never had a problem with immigration asking to see a return ticket...taking one trip out of HK and back in shouldn't raise any eyebrows at all...

> on a tourist visa you will not be allowed to work or study so you will need to get that

> sorted out before you start at HKU


I wouldn't be a student at the HKU. I'm getting my PhD before leaving, approx. in a month (hopefully :). And I wouldn't "work" for the HKU, it's just investigation for my curriculum. Ok, strictly speaking, I wouldn't be a tourist either, but I don't think I can be considered a worker (no contract of any kind with the HKU) or a student, and definitely not a businessman. So I don't even know for which visa I should apply.


> Also you probably will not be able to enter into any rental agreement while still on a

> tourist visa.


That's bad news :(. I was obviously considering renting an apartment for my stay, via hongkonghomes or any other agency with an online page. They ASK for a visa? Then, if I was a tourist and I wanted to stay for 89 days (which is perfectly legal) I'd have to stay at a hotel for the entire three months??? Shit, that'd be expensive.

If you are investigating for your curriculum then you are studying/working in the eyes of the Immigration Department it does not matter what so ever if you are not being paid in any way.. I have posted before a guy from China visits his brother here on a visitors visa and one day help the borther in his small restruant clearing tables for no money. Both brothers got heavily fined about $5k each and China brother got deported not allowed into HK for another 3 years

If he was on a visitors visa then technically yes he was doing it illegally.

> what would you say if a person was here visiting libraries, various sights etc in

> order to research a novel? without actually doing any of the writing here.....


Exactly, I don't think things are so black-or-white. For example, I've attended several conferences in USA (for one or two weeks each) without a visa. I always told the immigration agents that I was going to a conference when asked, and I never had any problem (when it's obvious that it was part of my personal research for my curriculum, and that I was NOT a tourist).

agree with GV...and there's a big difference between going to a conference for one or two weeks, and staying here for research for 6 months...best option is definitely contact www.immd.gov.hk for answers (after all, i'm guessing none of us on this board work for imm. so your getting personal opinion at best...do you want to go with that?)

> HK is NOT the same as the US


I know, but I can't believe any place is worse than US for immigration issues.


> with the local Chinese Consulate (Embassy?)


Nope, Consulate. Visas are treated by the consulate.


Anyway, I sent an email to enquiry@immd.gov.hk two days ago (friday afternoon here in Spain) asking about it. I hope to receive a response on monday.


Leaving this aside, I cannot believe it's so difficult for a person to enter a country with the intention of spending the money he earns in another country. They should receive people like me with open arms! :P