Hong Kong entry requirements for British passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Passport validity (FCDO rule): At least 1 month after the day you leave
Visa (FCDO): Read the official visa text below
Official source: GOV.UK – Hong Kong travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 1 April 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Whether you need a visa and how long your British passport must be valid to enter Hong Kong, as published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), quoted word for word, with a checker for your dates.
Other passports: Canadian passport · Australian passport · Italian citizens: documenti per italiani
Driving in Hong Kong, do you need an international driving permit? UK licence · Canadian licence · Australian licence
Do I need a visa for Hong Kong with a British passport?
We quote the FCDO text word for word and do not summarise it: its first sentence has conditions or a wording we do not turn into a one-line answer.
Hong Kong is part of the People’s Republic of China, but it is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) with its own immigration controls.
You can visit Hong Kong for up to 6 months without a visa. For information on entry requirements see the Hong Kong SAR government website.
To stay longer, to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons, you must get a visa. For further information contact the nearest Chinese mission with visa issuing facilities or the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
Official source: GOV.UK – Hong Kong travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO), section “Visa requirements” · page last updated 1 April 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Passport validity: official text “Passport validity requirements”
Your passport must be valid for at least one month after the date you plan to leave Hong Kong.
Official source: GOV.UK – Hong Kong travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 1 April 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Check your passport for Hong Kong
Schengen rules count your whole trip in the Schengen area: if you visit several Schengen countries, enter the day you first enter the area and the day you leave the last Schengen country.
The check runs in your browser: your dates are not sent anywhere. It applies the FCDO sentence literally (for example “6 months” is counted as the same day of the month 6 months later).
For British passport holders only. These are the rules published by the UK government (FCDO) for British citizens. If you hold another passport, check your own government's advice. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice.
Recent FCDO updates to the entry requirements
- 1 April 2026: “Updated information on dual Chinese-British nationality, E-cigarettes and illegal drugs including CBD (cannabidiol) (‘Warnings and insurance’, ‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).”
- 11 December 2025: “New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
- 5 April 2023: “Hong Kong does not require travellers to provide a negative COVID-19 test result to enter the SAR, regardless of your vaccination status ('Entry requirements' page).”
- 13 February 2023: “Updated information on vaccination requirements and COVID-19 testing between Mainland China and Hong Kong (‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry Requirements’ pages).”
- 19 January 2023: “General update to all sections of the travel advice. Updated information on travel between Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China ('Entry requirements' page)”
Read the full FCDO travel advice for Hong Kong (safety, visas, health) before you travel.
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