ETIAS FOR CITIZENS OF HONG KONG

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The European Union will shortly put in place the European Travel Information Authorisation System. To further protect the Schengen Area from security threats, ETIAS will pre-screen Hong Kong tourists as well as all other visa-exempt non-EU nationals.

Hongkongers can visit the Schengen Area without obtaining a visa from an embassy or consulate. This visa-free entrance allows Hong Kong residents to stay for up to 90 days for tourism or business. Visitors from Hong Kong can visit one or more Schengen Area countries as long as they do not exceed the time limit.

Once ETIAS is fully functioning, the visa-free status that Hong Kong residents now enjoy will require an additional step. Citizens of Hong Kong will be able to register online for an ETIAS visa waiver to enter the Schengen zone visa-free beginning in November 2023.

CITIZENS OF HONG KONG WHO WISH TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE

Hong Kong residents do not require a visa to enter the Schengen zone. They are granted admission into Schengen Area nations for tourism and commercial purposes, and are allowed to stay for up to 90 days.

Hong Kong residents travelling to EU Schengen member countries can apply online for an ETIAS visa waiver beginning in November 2023. This will be a necessary condition for nationals of third-country members who wish to visit Europe without a visa.

ETIAS is not a European visa; rather, it is a travel authorization, sometimes known as a visa waiver, for travellers to the Schengen Area who do not require a visa.

ETIAS Required

As soon as the ETIAS is fully implemented, it will allow Hongkongese travellers to visit the following 22 European countries that are part of the Schengen Area:

  • EU Schengen
  • Non-EU Schengen States
  • Non-Schengen EU States
ETIAS Required

Non-EU Member States:

Micro-States de facto part of Schengen Area:

ETIAS Required

Non-Schengen EU States

ARE THERE VISA WAIVER BILATERAL AGREEMENTS IN PLACE BETWEEN EUROPE AND HONG KONG?

Hong Kong has reached bilateral agreements with a number of European countries. This means that Hong Kong residents can travel to particular countries in the region and stay for longer than the 90-day limit set by ETIAS.

Please keep in mind, however, that bilateral agreements are separate transactions. This means that under each agreement, Hongkongers can only visit one nation. If they want to visit more than one European country, they must apply for an ETIAS visa waiver online.

Furthermore, if Hong Kong visitors intend to stay in the European country for a period of time longer than permitted by the bilateral agreement, they may require a visa.

A list of bilateral agreements between Hong Kong and European nations is shown below.

All Hong Kong passports that meet the validity requirements can be used to travel visa-free to the following countries:

  • Liechtenstein (up to 3 extra months)
  • Switzerland (up to 3 extra months)

Ordinary passports issued by the Hong Kong government and that meet the validity requirements are eligible to enter:

  • Latvia (up to 3 extra months)
  • Lithuania (up to 3 extra months)
  • Hungary (up to 3 extra months)

All these visa waiver bilateral treaties between EU countries and Hong Kong might be modified in the future according to new negotiations made between the two nationals involved.

VISIT EUROPE FROM HONG KONG WITH THE ETIAS VISA WAIVER

When an ETIAS application is approved, the ETIAS travel authorization is valid for three years and allows for additional short-term stay admissions. The granted ETIAS visa waiver permits Hong Kong residents to travel to any nation in the Schengen zone and stay for up to 90 days.

The ETIAS visa waiver is done electronically. It is digitally connected to the Hong Kong traveller’s passport, which was used to apply for the travel authorization. Visitors are advised that ETIAS cannot be transferred and must travel with the passport used to apply.

Hong Kong residents with dual citizenship must travel on the passport associated with ETIAS rather than their other passport. This is due to the fact that an approved ETIAS cannot be transferred from one passport to another.

If your Hong Kong passport is about to expire, you should apply for a new one before applying for the ETIAS visa waiver for Europe. To apply for ETIAS, the HKSAR passport must have at least three months of validity beyond the scheduled date of arrival.

The new ETIAS European visa waiver is required for all Hong Kong residents, including minors, who plan to travel to Europe.

ETIAS APPLICATION DATA FOR CITIZENS OF HONG KONG

Hong Kong registrants will be needed to fill out a form with their personal information during the Europe visa waiver online application process. They must complete the following forms:

  • Full name and surname
  • Gender
  • Nationality
  • Date of birth
  • Country of birth
  • Current address
  • Contact information

The applicant will also be needed to answer a brief series of questions about any criminal record facts for security and immigration concerns. They will be required to respond to the following questions:

  • Criminal record held in Hong Kong
  • Convictions related to human trafficking
  • Prior travel to conflict areas
  • History of prior overstayed visas or being deported from a country in the past

This permission process will allow European immigration officials to inspect passengers before they board an aircraft to any of the Schengen area member countries. Data on travellers will be checked against a variety of informational and criminal databases, including, but not limited to:

  • SIS
  • VIS
  • EUROPOL DATA
  • SLTD (INTERPOL)
  • TDAWN (INTERPOL)
  • EURODAC

These procedures will look to see if applicants for an ETIAS visa waiver have any records of illegal behaviour on Europe-wide databases. It will aid in the prevention of major criminal behaviour within the Schengen Area.

THE ETIAS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR HONG KONGESE

Hong Kong residents can conveniently complete the ETIAS application form online using their smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. A valid Hong Kong (HKSAR) passport, a debit or credit card to pay the money, and a current email address where the approved ETIAS will be delivered are all required.

When submitting an ETIAS online application from Hong Kong, travellers must supply passport information, as well as their full name, date of birth, and residence. It is also possible to seek information regarding trip arrangements.

As an ETIAS applicant and Hong Kong resident, you must answer a series of security questions. To avoid errors, Hong Kong applicants must carefully check all of the information they fill out on the ETIAS application form before submitting their request. Any errors in the application data may result in a lengthier wait time or, in rare situations, the denial of the ETIAS request.

The ETIAS travel authorization for Europe will be required for all Hong Kong citizens and other qualifying travellers. ETIAS will be completely operational beginning in November 2023. It is recommended that travellers start the ETIAS online application process at least a few days before departure.

ETIAS FOR HONGKONGERS – FAQ

Hong Kong residents are permitted to enter the Schengen Area visa-free and remain for up to 90 days. Hong Kong citizens will still be given visa-free access into the European Union once the ETIAS is fully functioning, as long as they enroll in the ETIAS.

An approved ETIAS will grant its holder 90 days within a 180-day term of travel inside the Schengen Area for Hong Kong natives.

Holders of ETIAS from all eligible countries, including Hong Kong, are given 90 days within a 180-day period to spend in any Schengen Area country. This means that both the 90-day and 180-day periods begin on the day the Hong Kong traveller enters the Schengen zone for the first time.

Once the 90-day term has expired, a Hong Kongese visitor must leave the Schengen Area and travel to a nation where they are permitted to visit until the 180-day period expires. Failure to do so, that is, exceeding the 90-day stay limit, may result in fines or deportation.

Yes. Hong Kong citizens may stay in Schengen Area nations for more than 90 days if they have the necessary visa.

Hong Kong residents who intend to spend more than 90 days in the Schengen Area within a 180-day period can apply for various sorts of European visas. The type of visa required by a Hong Kong citizen depends on the reason of their trip to Europe as well as the length of their stay.

To find out what type of Europe visa a Hong Kong citizen need, they should go to the nearest consulate or embassy to the nation they wish to visit.

Consulate or embassy staff can examine citizens in terms of the precise requirements they must complete as well as the documents they must show in order to apply for a visa.