The government has announced that, effective October 1, 2026, it will expand the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Invited Persons by extending its coverage from the current member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to countries and regions in Central Asia and the Middle East, and allowing all bureaus/departments to issue invitations under the scheme.
The government launched the scheme on March 18, 2025, allowing five bureaus/departments (including the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau; the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau; the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau; the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau; and the Department of Justice) to actively invite ASEAN nationals and provide more convenient immigration arrangements to them.
Upon review, the government decided to expand the scheme to cover countries and regions in Central Asia and the Middle East, and to allow all bureaus/departments to issue invitations under the scheme, with a view to allowing more people from different sectors to visit Hong Kong for exchanges.
The scheme will cover the following countries and regions after its expansion:
- ASEAN: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam;
- Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; and
- Middle East: Countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Under the scheme, bureaus/departments will actively invite nationals from ASEAN, Central Asia, and the GCC, who are able to make considerable contributions to Hong Kong’s economic development or who have been invited to attend important events in Hong Kong, to enjoy the facilitation.
The Immigration Department (ImmD) will provide one-stop processing of relevant applications from invited persons through an electronic platform, relax the application criteria for self-service immigration clearance, and simplify the information required for visa applications (if applicable—currently, visitors from eight countries across ASEAN and Central Asia are required to apply for a visa to visit Hong Kong). Invited persons can enjoy a self-service immigration clearance service at the control points of Hong Kong.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news becomes available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.