Hong Kong SAR China visa options for Netherlands passport holders
Tourist / short stay
Visa-free · up to 90 days
Enter without a visa, usually for a set number of days.
Visa types & longer-stay routes for Hong Kong SAR China
Rules are written for non-Chinese foreign nationals (Mainland Chinese residents use separate schemes such as ASMTP); visa-free short-stay lengths vary by passport nationality.
- Most nomadsTourist
Visa-Free Visit / Visitor Visa (Short Stay)
Visa-free 7 to 180 days depending on nationality (approx 90 days for US/Canada/Australia/EU, 180 days for British citizens, 14 days for India/Philippines, 7 days for many otherwise-listed places) - verify your passport
- Insurance
- Recommendednot required by immigration; travel/medical insurance strongly advised as Hong Kong has no free public healthcare for visitors
- Good for
- Tourists and short-term business visitors; nationals of about 170 places enter visa-free, others need a visit visa granted in advance
- Requirement
- Adequate funds for the stay, return/onward ticket, and no employment (paid or unpaid), business or study during the visit
- Work
Employment Visa (General Employment Policy, GEP)
Initial stay normally 36 months (or contract length if shorter); extensions typically follow a 3-2 / 3-2-3 pattern; quota-free
- Insurance
- OptionalNot required by immigration - no mandatory insurance; private health cover commonly provided by employers (verify)
- Good for
- Foreign professionals with a confirmed Hong Kong job offer in a role that cannot readily be filled locally
- Requirement
- Sponsoring employer, degree-level qualification or equivalent experience, genuine job vacancy, remuneration broadly at the prevailing market level; not open to nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba or North Korea
- Work
Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)
Category A (income HK$2.5m+ in the prior year): 36 months; Categories B and C (graduates of eligible universities, with/without 3+ years experience): 24 months; renewable
- Insurance
- OptionalNot required by immigration - no mandatory insurance condition; private cover advisable, verify
- Good for
- High-income earners and graduates of eligible top global universities who want to work or do business in HK without a prior job offer
- Requirement
- Meet a category (high income, or a degree from an eligible top university - the list expanded to about 200 institutions from 1 Jan 2026); no job offer needed; excludes nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea
- Study
Student Visa / Entry Permit
In line with the programme's normal duration, up to a maximum of 6 years on entry for full-time post-secondary study; other courses usually 12 months or course length, whichever is shorter
- Insurance
- Recommendednot mandated by immigration, but many institutions require or strongly advise medical insurance; verify with your school
- Good for
- Non-local students admitted to full-time accredited post-secondary or other approved programmes in Hong Kong
- Requirement
- Letter of acceptance from a HK institution, a local sponsor, and proof of funds for tuition and living costs without recourse to public funds; full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students may now take up part-time work under a current policy exemption (verify with your school)
- Residence
Dependant Visa (Family Reunion)
Tied to the sponsor's permitted stay; renewable; holders may work and study without a separate visa
- Insurance
- RecommendedNot required by immigration - no mandatory insurance; private health cover recommended, verify
- Good for
- Spouses (including same-sex spouses), unmarried children under 18, and (for permanent-resident sponsors) dependent parents aged 60+ of an eligible HK sponsor
- Requirement
- Sponsor is a HK permanent resident or holds an employment/investment/talent/training visa, proof of a genuine relationship, and sponsor's sufficient income and accommodation
- Residence
New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES, Investor Residence)
About 24 months initial stay, renewable subject to maintaining the investment; pathway toward longer residence and eventual permanent residence after 7 years - verify current terms
- Insurance
- OptionalNot required by immigration - no mandatory insurance condition; private cover advisable
- Good for
- High-net-worth individuals seeking residence by investing in permissible Hong Kong assets
- Requirement
- Invest at least HK$30 million in permissible assets (including HK$3m into the CIES Investment Portfolio and HK$27m in other permissible assets) and demonstrate net assets of HK$30m+ for the 6 months before applying; figures may change, verify
- Residence
Permanent Residence / Right of Abode (after 7 years)
Permanent - right of abode allows living and working without immigration conditions
- Insurance
- OptionalNot required - permanent residents access public healthcare; private insurance optional
- Good for
- Foreign nationals who have lawfully and ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for 7 continuous years and take HK as their permanent home
- Requirement
- Continuous ordinary residence in HK for not less than 7 years (temporary absences allowed) and taking Hong Kong as your place of permanent residence
- Transit
Air Transit (Airport Transit)
Direct airside transit without entering HK; most visa-required nationals can transit without a visa if they stay in the airport transit area, but nationals of certain places (e.g. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Syria, Yemen) need a visa for every entry including airside transit
- Insurance
- OptionalNot required - immigration does not mandate insurance for transit
- Good for
- Travellers passing through Hong Kong International Airport en route to another destination
- Requirement
- Confirmed onward travel; if leaving the airport, normal visit-entry rules apply
General guidance only, not immigration or insurance advice; verify current rules with the HKSAR Immigration Department before you travel. Last checked: 2026-06.
Last verified June 2026
Routes that depend on your nationality
Some of Hong Kong SAR China’s long-stay routes are open only to citizens of specific countries. Here’s where a Netherlands passport stands:
Working Holiday Scheme
You qualify — open to Netherlands passport holders
Bilateral scheme open ONLY to nationals of these 13 partner economies (verified in full against the official Immigration Department / whs.gov.hk lists: Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom). Applicants must be aged 18-30 (inclusive) at time of application, ordinarily resident in their home country, with the primary intention to holiday. 12-month stay; short-term employment and short study permitted. Per-country annual quotas (first-come, first-served), e.g. Australia 5000, Japan 1500, Korea 1000, UK 1000, France 750, Sweden 500, New Zealand 400, Germany 300, Hungary/Ireland 200, Canada 193, Austria/Netherlands 100. Italy is NOT a partner (a secondary source listing it is incorrect).
Visa-free isn’t insurance-free
Whatever route you take into Hong Kong SAR China, your entry stamp never includes health cover. Many longer-stay visas also require proof of insurance before they’re granted. That part is on you — and it’s what we actually do.
Netherlands → Hong Kong SAR China: frequently asked
- Do Netherlands passport holders need a visa to visit Hong Kong SAR China?
- Visa-free · up to 90 days. Enter without a visa, usually for a set number of days. Always confirm with the official source before booking.
- Can a Netherlands passport holder live or work long-term in Hong Kong SAR China?
- Yes, via a long-stay visa. Hong Kong SAR China has 8 documented visa types covering work, study, residence and — where it exists — digital-nomad routes.
- Do I need travel insurance for Hong Kong SAR China?
- Entry to Hong Kong SAR China never includes health cover, so travel medical insurance is strongly recommended.
Last updated
Visa rules can change at short notice and depend on your purpose of travel, length of stay and onward tickets. Always confirm with the destination’s embassy or the IATA Travel Centre before you book. Visa-free entry never includes travel health insurance. That’s still on you.