Hong Kong’s increasingly globe-trotter ‘Invited Persons Immigration Facilitation Scheme’—initially aimed only at ASEAN nationals—will stretch its wings further afield next month. From 1 October, individuals formally invited by five Hong Kong bureaux or departments can come from Central Asian and Middle-Eastern countries, receive streamlined visa processing and enjoy instant e-Channel access on arrival. The scheme, introduced in March 2025 to grease the wheels for high-level economic and cultural exchanges with Southeast Asia, has so far brought in 7,200 dignitaries and business leaders. Officials say broadening the geographic scope will support Belt-and-Road investment dialogues, Islamic finance forums and creative-industry tie-ups. Key upgrades include a one-stop electronic platform that merges invitation letters, visa waiver requests and biometric pre-enrolment. Applicants will only need to upload a passport scan and a 5-second selfie, with approvals targeted within 48 hours. For nationalities that still require a visa to enter Hong Kong, the Immigration Department will waive financial-proof requirements and allow multiple journeys within a 12-month window. For corporates, the expanded scheme offers a practical workaround to Hong Kong’s otherwise rigid visa regime. CEOs flying in from Dubai for board meetings, or start-up founders from Kazakhstan pitching at fintech accelerators, can now bypass the normal four-week employment-visa timeline. Mobility managers should, however, monitor stay limits—capped at 14 consecutive days—and ensure invitees keep their printed invitation on hand for spot checks. Officials have set an initial quota of 5,000 places for the new regions and pledged to review utilisation before the 2027 Policy Address. A successful take-up could see the privilege rolled out to Latin America by 2028, insiders say.
