Marrying a HK resident? Advice please.

First let me state that I am after genuine advice about relocating to HK with my long term girlfriend whom I am due to marry in Jan 2012.


My wife to be is a HK resident whose whole family, with the exception of her sister live in HK. Both of us wish to relocate to HK to enjoy closer family links but the problem being I am not sure I will get a dependant visa due to my partner not having a job in HK already. Without a visa I know it is extremely difficult to find a job hence the advise needed.


Although if we did move neither of us would have immediate work we would be living in a family owned house and would have savings equal to approx HK$200,000 to live on until we could find work. Both of us are graduates and work in banking currently.


The question is how difficult (rather than easy) would it be to gain a dependant visa in this situation?


Also, are other things taken into account other than financial situation i.e. length of relationship, my ability to speak basic Cantonese?


Although this should have no impact (but I am assured that it does) my partner is Chinese where as I am white?! Funny enough my soon to be father in law believes if it was a Chinese man and a white girl it would be straight forward.


Thank you for any response and sorry for rambling on a bit.

Hi Matt,


I would check with immigration to be 100% sure. However, my understanding is that you can only receive a dependant visa once you are married. Until that point you are on your own. Your fiancee doesn't require a visa as she is a resident but until you get married you will need to secure your own work/visa.


I'm afraid they don't take into account length of relationship or your ability to speak basic cantonese.


Just as an example I am getting married in May of this year to a HK Chinese girl and I have been in HK 5 years. However, until I get married I have to be sponsored by my employer. It's only after I get married that I can move to a dependant visa.


Sorry can't be more helpful, someone else may have a better view on things though

your sponsor (your future wife) has to show evidence of being able to support both of you above a subsistance level (the guidelines aren't very clear on what this means monetarily), but if you can show HK$200,000 in bank statements, you will be fine. She will need to find work eventually tho...I'm not sure IMMD would allow a dep visa if the dep. was the sole earner...


in my case, my HK wife was making less than 20K when we were married in 2008, and the dep visa was granted with no issues...

Thank you for the replies. It gives me better hope of eventually moving out to HK.


Funbobby - Since the other half is quite career minded I doubt she would want to completely give up work so hopefully that will sort that issue out. Once the topic of kids pops up we would have an excellent childcare network (especially if we had a boy).


Ktong - The relocation would be likely after we are married due to sorting out things in the UK and the fact that the wedding is fast approaching.


An alternative option would be for her to head out alone and get settled in a job etc (this was the plan until we had to come back to the UK) and for myself to join after I have sorted everything out here.


Again cheers for the replies.

Once you're married it's pretty straight forward. Not a problem once you're married if you are the sole breadwinner when you are dependant on PR, it's a completely different situation so no issues there either. As a dependant on PR the initial ability to support someone is based more on local levels of salary not large expat ones. Visa renewals are also simplicity itself.


As for your future father in law it sounds as if he's more of a traditional "man carries all" type of person. There is no difference whether a male or female is the sponsor.

evildeeds - thank you for the advice. I didn't think (although hoped) it would be so simple once married. We are over in June so we will probably nip down to immigration tower and have a chat.


With regard to the future father in law he has some traditional values but think it was mainly skewed by the fact that in the village he lives males can only pass property down to sons etc.


All goes according to plan I think 2012 will be a good year!