Visa matters for non-local students

Preparations for studying in Hong Kong

1. Apply for a student visa

After accepting your offer from Gratia Christian College, please ensure you have valid travel documents for your study in Hong Kong. Below is information on applying for a student visa and arriving in Hong Kong.

Most non-local students must obtain a student visa (and entry permit if students are from Mainland China, Macau and Taiwan) to study in Hong Kong. You do not need to apply for a student visa/entry permit if you hold one of the following documents while studying:

  • Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card;
  • A Hong Kong identity card stating that the holder has the right to land;
  • A one-way permit to enter Hong Kong;
  • Full-time employment visa/work permit (for part-time students);
  • Entry visa/entry permit for quality migrants;
  • Entry visa/entry permit for capital investment entrants; or
  • Other documents issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department certifying the applicant’s right of abode or right to land in Hong Kong.

It takes about 6 to 8 weeks to process a student visa. We recommend that you apply for a student visa as soon as you accept your offer of admission. The following is the approximate time for the student visa to be approved after submitting the complete visa application documents:

Months in which students submit their complete visa applications:Expected Months to Collect Student Visa from Hong Kong Immigration Department:
March / AprilJune
MayJuly
JuneMid-August
JulyLate August
*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.

After receiving the acceptance letter from Gratia Christian College, you will also receive instructions on how to apply for a student visa/entry permit. It is important that you submit your application as early as possible to ensure that you can obtain your student visa/entry clearance in time to begin your studies at Gratia Christian College. After receiving your complete application documents, our school will provide personal visa guarantees for admitted full-time freshmen, and assist in submitting their applications to the Hong Kong Immigration Department for approval. After receiving the approval and visa labels from the Hong Kong Immigration Department, We will mail the visa label to the address recorded on your application.

2. Visa label after entering Hong Kong

Upon arrival in Hong Kong, you will receive a landing slip issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department. This is an important document which you must keep throughout your studies. You need to submit a copy of the landing slip to the college on the day of the college opening ceremony or the college registration day.