Hong Kong Work Visa Processing Fees Explained 2026
Working in Hong Kong, as a global professional is a thrilling career relocation, yet DHC has changed the immigration picture drastically in 2025. Nowadays, the Hong Kong work visa processing cost is of critical importance in budgeting and compliance, especially during 2026.
With the introduction of the 2025-26 Budget, the flat-fee period is complete. The Hong Kong Immigration Department (ImmD) has currently adopted a two-tier fee system and an application fee that is mandatory and non-refundable. No matter whether you are a Talented Top Prospect or a graduate, this guide splits all the dollars you will require into spending bits.
The Fee Structure 2026 Two-Tiered Structure
Prior to the reforms a Hong Kong work visa used to cost a mere flat rate. The work visa Hong Kong price 2026 is set today where two key factors are involved in calculation, which include the process of application and the number of days to be spent within the country.
The Mandatory Entry Fee
They have to pay HKD 600 non-refundable application fee even before your application can be looked into. This is applicable to the chief applicant and the dependant.
- Important Note: This is a fee that must be paid whether your visa is approved, refused or withdrawn.
Specific Visa Schemes Fees
The fee table of Hong Kong Immigration Department (ImmD) is specific to Specified Schemes. The price of the most popular types of talents is as follows:
Top Talent Pass Scheme Fees 2026
The TTPS was developed to cater to high-income earners and international undergraduate graduates of the top 200 universities in the world and is a favourite by 2026.
- Application: HKD 600
- Issuance (usually 2 years): HKD 1,300
- Total: HKD 1,900
ASMTP and General Employment Policy (GEP).
It is the same with the GEP visa fee (to foreign professionals) and the ASMTP charges (to the Mainland talents). In the case of a typical 2-year contract, you will pay HKD 1,300 visa fee (a visa period above 180 days) and the first application fee.
IANG and QMAS Costs
- IANG (Non-local Graduates): The same tiered rates are paid by the graduates who remain to work.
- QMAS (Quality Migrant Admission Scheme): Although the scheme of application is strict, the price of the application is fixed to the HKD 600 + HKD 1,300 scheme to the successful applicants.
Administrative Expenses and Protrusions
The initial sticker in your passport is not the last thing that is being charged on.
- Extension of Stay Fee: To extend your visa to 2026, you need to pay a new application fee of HKD 600 and the tiered issuance fee of the new period that will be granted.
- Dependant Visa Application Cost HK 2026: Each individual member of the family (spouse/children) is required to pay HKD 600 application fee and tiered issuance fee.
- Replacement of Visa Label: In case of the loss of the travel document, the visa label replacement charge would be HKD 350 at the moment.
How to Pay Digitization and Speed
The ImmD has not left out on the initiative of being a Smart City. Majority of the applicants are using E-visa issuance services.
- Online HK Visa Application: It is possible to make payments through the GovHK web portal with the help of credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, TNG, JCB), FPS (Faster Payment System) or the electronic wallets of Mainland China, such as WeChat Pay and Alipay.
- Normal Processing Time: The normal processing time is HK work visa 4 weeks, but the TechTAS (Technology Talent Admission Scheme) may be accelerated to 2 weeks.
Summary of “Hidden” Costs
In the query of How much is a work visa in Hong Kong in 2026, these are the ancillary costs to bear in mind:
- Translation/Notarization: The documents that are not in English or Chinese should be translated.
- Medical Checks: These are not a requirement, but are in some cases a requirement by the employer.
- HKID Card: Although the card fee of the first registration is normally 0 when acquiring a work visa in the first registration, cost is charged in the re-issue in case of the card loss.
FAQs
Can I get HKD 600 back in case of rejection?
No. The money back guarantee of the HK visa application fees is such that it cannot be refunded in any case.
Should I pay the sponsorship of my employer?
The government does not levy sponsorship fees on the employer legally, but in practice, the visa sponsorship fee to the employer consists of administrative time or the payment of a licensed agency.
Is it possible to pay on the spot at Immigration Tower?
Although some services offered in the walk-in may be paid in person, the government highly suggests that HK visa payment be done online to hasten the delivery of the e-visas.
Final Thoughts
The work visa fee which was incremented in the 2025 budget has now become the regular one in the year 2026. Although the prices have increased (where the flat rate of HKD 230 was changed to the possible HKD 1,900 overall), Hong Kong continues to be a rather competitive and efficient global talent hub.
Disclosure
This paper is informative and educative in nature. Before making any decision, the readers are suggested to check the information provided by reliable sources, i.e. the official Hong Kong Immigration Department webpage.