Visa Report: SETV Hong Kong

[pjthefey]

Most of my experiences getting tourist visas in Hong Kong have been super easy,  but last time, about a year ago,  they gave me the third degree about what I was doing in Thailand.   Today I returned to the office to see if things have changed, I'm pleased to say that it's back to being (mostly) painless again.   

 

Maybe last time I just got someone at the window who was having a bad day?  I don't know. 

 

Documents Required:

Photocopy of Passport

Photocopy of Arrival Slips (I put both on one page)

1 Photo -  IMPORTANT:  Must be on a white background.  This was never an issue before, but they rejected my first photo which had a slightly off-white background.  I was lucky and had a couple of extra photos from the last time I applied for a passport, which they accepted.  

$300 HKD

 

 

Step One: 

Take Cathay Pacific Flight 616 leaving at 6:40 in the morning from Bangkok.   

Have your passport photocopied and application printed/filled out ahead of time.

Make an extra copy of your passport just in case your hotel needs to see it on check in. 

 

Step Two: 

Arrive in Hong Kong at 10:20 (we got in about 25 minutes late so 10:45 today).

 

Step Three: 

Get a photocopy of your arrival slip and print out at the airport.  I used the Cathay Pacific Arrival Lounge.   No photocopier,  but I emailed myself a picture of the arrival papers, and printed that.   They accepted it. 

(Alternately there's an Alpha Graphics  at Admiralty Station.)

 

Step Four:

Take Airport Express to Hong Kong station (save time by ordering your pass online... I use klook... You won't have to wait in line at the airport express counter if you get a round trip ticket+3day MTR pass.)

 

Step Five: 

Follow the signs and walk to Central MTR Station via the underground tunnel. 

 

Step Six:

Take the red line one stop to Admiralty Station. 

 

Step Seven: 

Take Exit B on the ground floor.   You'll see Alpha Graphics  at the base of the escalator  if you didn't photocopy your arrival documents at the airport.   People say it's $2 HKD per copy.   You'll want to have some Hong Kong cash on you so... stop at an ATM and maybe buy a snack at 7-11 on the way. 

 

Step Eight:

Take the escalator up stairs, go right, and walk out the door next to the coffee shops.   Cross the sky bridge.  Go into Fairmont House across the street (it's on the left).    Thai Consulate is on the 8th floor.  

 

Step Nine:

Hand in your application just before the 12:30 submission deadline.    Today they locked the doors around 12:38. I arrived at 12:26.

 

Step Ten:

Come back the next day (or later if you want), to collect your passport.   

 

Technically, you could do what I did on the drop off and be back in BKK the next day,  but it's probably wiser to stay at least two nights just in case your flight is late, and be sure to have an afternoon/evening trip home.   I haven't done Step Ten yet,  but I have no reason to believe there won't be a visa in my passport tomorrow morning.  I'm staying in HK a few days anyway.  I just have a thing against making unnecessary trips, so I rushed from the airport. 

Edited May 7, 2018 by pjthefey

[midas]

Crikey! All that travel and preparations and anxiety of trying to beat the clock with 4 minutes to spare until they locked the door?
If you're a tourist why the hurry to get back to Thailand?
There is so much to see and do in Hong Kong and Macau you could is easily spend a week there.

[pjthefey]

10 minutes ago, midas said:

Crikey! All that travel and preparations and anxiety of trying to beat the clock with 4 minutes to spare until they locked the door?
If you're a tourist why the hurry to get back to Thailand?
There is so much to see and do in Hong Kong and Macau you could is easily spend a week there.

Closer to 12 minutes, and if my flight had been on time, I'd have had a nice half hour cushion. 

 

I usually do spend a longer time when I do a visa run.   Couple weeks in the Maldives,  a week in Korea,  ten days in Taiwan,  a month and a half in the USA, etc.  but  I've been to Hong Kong so many times now that there's not much left that's new to me here. 

 

This time I just want to get my visa and move on to my next destination.  I'm staying a few days here regardless. 

Edited May 7, 2018 by pjthefey

[pjthefey]

Update: 

 

Picked up my passport this morning around 10:30.  It was an in and out trip to the consulate.  Less than 10 minutes wait. 

 

I don't know if all consulates are doing this now, or if HK just ran out of stickers, but my visa is a rubber stamp that says:

 

"TOURIST VISA

 

Tourist Visa Royal Thai Consulate-General

Hong Kong

No. _________________  (hand written number)

Good For SINGLE journey

to Thailand.  This visa must be utilized

before   __________________ (stamped date)

if passport remains valid.

Issued on _________________ (stamped date).

(Signature + red authorization stamp)"  

 

There's no mention of number of entries, the employment prohibited reminder, etc.  that you usually find on the computer printed stickers. 

 

The girl who got her visa before me was staring at her passport like "<deleted> is this?"  I had a similar reaction.  This is the first time I've received a visa from any country that wasn't a sticker.  I don't  care as long as immigration at swampy doesn't have any questions. 

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, pjthefey said:

don't know if all consulates are doing this now, or if HK just ran out of stickers, but my visa is a rubber stamp that says:

 

They apparently ran out of stickers. Not the first time that has happened at embassies and consulates.

 

14 minutes ago, pjthefey said:

Good For SINGLE journey

That means single entry.

14 minutes ago, pjthefey said:

This is the first time I've received a visa from any country that wasn't a sticker. 

I got my first visa sticker in 2007. Before that all of them for various countries were stamps.

[pjthefey]

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

 

 

That means single entry.

I got my first visa sticker in 2007. Before that all of them for various countries were stamps.

 

Yeah.. I had a brain fart  when I typed my update.  I'm used to seeing   Entries:  1, 2, M  etc.   

 

I never needed a tourist visa prior to 2014 or so.   When I had a Chinese Ed  visa  in 2001 it came with a sticker, same with Korean Ed and working visas  in 2011-2013

Edited May 8, 2018 by pjthefey