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I am traveling from Canada to Australia via Hong Kong. I am trying to confirm whether I need a transit Visa in HK. I have a Bangladeshi passport and I'm a Canadian PR. I am planning to fly in a week and I'm trying to find out if I need a transit visa for a 6.5-hour layover. I'd like to know what my options are at this point.

Akmal
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3 Answers3

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Hong Kong does not permit nationals of Bangladesh (and several other countries) to transit without a visa, not even in the international transit area of the airport. If you try to go without one, the airline may deny boarding.

You have two obvious options at this point:

First, you could try to obtain a visit/transit visa from Hong Kong. Their official web site says that this may take up to four weeks. Your Hong Kong visa application must be submitted to the China Visa Application Center which serves your province. It seems unlikely that you will receive this visa before your flight.

Or, you can change your flight itinerary to transit through a different country. Likely you will have to purchase tickets on another airline.

Michael Hampton
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I think you're screwed. Go here:

https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/visit-transit/visit-visa-entry-permit.html#notes

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You are unfortunately a caret symbol country:

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Wikipedia for example summarizes it as:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Hong_Kong#Visa_required_nationals

Nationals of the following countries are required to possess a visa for any type of entry into Hong Kong (including as tourists) and for transit airside (even if they remain within the airport transit area) :

  • Bangladesh

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Willeke
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Fattie
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A transit visa is not required if the flights are booked with Cathay Pacific and the conditions outlined below are satisfied.

This is straight from the IATA's website:

Nationals of Bangladesh and Nepal traveling on Cathay Pacific (CX) to Hong Kong SAR are allowed to transit without a visa if passenger has a valid visa or proof of residency of Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea (Rep.), New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA or a Schengen Member State. They must transit within the same calendar day or within 12 hours if cross calendar day. WARNING: A HKG Transit Visa is required when connecting with an airline other than Cathay Pacific (CX). Special Service ‘TWOV’ MUST be added to customers’ record on the sector arriving in Hong Kong SAR.

I have personally travelled the SYD/MEL-HKG-DAC route on a Bangladeshi passport + Australian student visa multiple times without requiring any transit visa.

ant
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