Hong Kong

1 city guide — for Indian travellers

City guides

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Before you go

Visa & entry

Type
Pre-arrival Registration (PAR) — free, online
Fee
₹0
Validity days
14
Processing days
Instant (print the notification slip)
Documents
  • Indian passport valid 6+ months with 1 blank page
  • PAR notification slip — printed on A4, carried with the passport
  • Return/onward ticket and hotel booking (asked at immigration occasionally)
Steps
  • Register on immd.gov.hk → 'Pre-arrival Registration for Indian Nationals' — takes 10 minutes, no fee
  • Approval is immediate for most; print the slip. It is valid 6 months for multiple visits of up to 14 days each
  • A rejected PAR means you need a full visa (HKD 230, 4 weeks) — apply before booking non-refundable travel
  • Fill the Hong Kong arrival card on the plane or use the e-channel with the PAR slip
Alternatives
  • Entry visa (stays beyond 14 days / work / study) — ₹2,600 · HKD 230 via the Immigration Department; 4 weeks; needs a local sponsor or employer
  • Macau side trip — ₹0 · Indians get 30 days visa-free in Macau — no PAR needed there, but re-entering Hong Kong uses another PAR visit

Money

Currency
HKD (Hong Kong Dollar) — roughly ₹11
Forex cards
  • Niyo Global — Zero markup; HKD ATMs at every MTR station (HSBC/Hang Seng)
  • Scapia — No markup; tap-to-pay works on MTR gates and Octopus top-ups
  • Visa/Mastercard credit — Accepted in malls, restaurants and taxis with a card sticker — not at wet markets or dai pai dongs
Upi supported
No
Upi note
UPI is not accepted. Locals pay with Octopus, AlipayHK and WeChat Pay HK — carry a card plus some cash.
Cash vs card
Card for hotels, malls and chains; cash (HKD 500–800) for street food, markets, minibuses and small taxis. Octopus covers transport and convenience stores.

Customs

Into india
  • Duty-free allowance ₹50,000 (returning resident)
  • 2L alcohol duty-free; gold above the free allowance must be declared
  • Electronics bought in Sham Shui Po count towards the allowance — keep receipts
Into destination
  • 19 cigarettes OR 1 cigar OR 25g tobacco duty-free — that is under one pack; declare the rest
  • 1 litre of spirits above 30% duty-free (wine and beer are duty-free without limit)
  • HKD 120,000+ cash (or equivalent) must be declared
  • No restrictions on medicines for personal use — carry prescriptions for anything strong

Language

Official
  • Cantonese
  • English
English prevalence
Good in hotels, malls, MTR and anywhere touristy; patchy in wet markets, minibuses and older neighbourhoods. Signage is bilingual everywhere.
Key phrases
  • M̀h'gōi (唔該) — Thanks / excuse me — the all-purpose word
  • Dō jeh (多謝) — Thank you (for a gift or a favour)
  • Léih hóu (你好) — Hello
  • Gēi dō chín? (幾多錢) — How much?