[bichishort]

SOS! i'm an Indian passport holder working for a short-term secondment in a big financial company in HK, so my work visa is only for 5 months (apparently, that makes me ineligible for getting a HK ID--minimum 6 months visa reqd, is it true?).
The problem is, now my office is sending me to USA for a conference... BUT i'm told i won't get a US visa without a HK ID--is that the law or can i get around it? If not, what do i do?? is it better to apply for my USA visa from my native country India? Please tell me either:
1) how to get a HK ID inspite of having a short 5-month work visa, or,
2) how to get a US Non Immigrant Visa without having a HK ID

[KnowItAll]

Weird. The Immigration department policy is that you need a ID card if you're in town for more than 30 days on a valid work or education visa.

Would recommend taking a look at http://www.immd.gov.hk

US Visa -- If you're with a body shop like Infosys.. let your HR department deal with it.

[vmlinuz]

Originally Posted by KnowItAll

Weird. The Immigration department policy is that you need a ID card if you're in town for more than 30 days on a valid work or education visa.

No - that's not right.

The policy is that you need an ID card if you have the right to stay for more than 6 months (for whatever reason) where 6 months is, AFAIK, the longest visa you can get without formally applying and having a reason for needing one - what you get if you're a visitor with a UK (or other?) passport.

Once you have the right to stay for more than 6 months, you need to apply for an ID card within 30 days of that right being granted - i.e. the start of the longer visa.

I have been there and done that this week

[KnowItAll]

Oops .. I stand corrected!

[bichishort]

Thanx guys, but then how exactly do i get my HK ID card? Since I currently have only a 5-month work visa, is there any way to extend my visa period so that I'm eligible to get a HK ID card? Really desperate to get it so i that my US visa comes thru...anyone faced this Catch 22 situation before?

[kirlex]

You might want to advise your superiors that you will not be able to go, or get your 5-month contract extended to a 6-month contract so can get the HKID. The US is VERY strict about their visa laws, there is no way around it.

[bichishort]

if only the us govt was as understanding as all u guys!
i will ask my superiors to extend my work visa beyond 5 months, will a letter from them saying my contract is extended suffice? and secondly, can't one individual apply for a visa extension on his own, without involving his employer?
sorry for pestering u guys, i've just arrived in HK and really appreciate ur concern.

[bichishort]

Originally Posted by kirlex

You might want to advise your superiors that you will not be able to go, or get your 5-month contract extended to a 6-month contract so can get the HKID. The US is VERY strict about their visa laws, there is no way around it.

and if all else fails, may be i try and ask for a personal favor from a kind hearted soul in the HK ID office to bypass the rules and grant me the ID. Know anyone personally in the HK ID office or the US consulate? (i'm not entirely joking).

[bichishort]

Originally Posted by vmlinuz

Once you have the right to stay for more than 6 months, you need to apply for an ID card within 30 days of that right being granted - i.e. the start of the longer visa.

Can anyone plz confirm if the "6-month-visa" thing is really an absolute must pre-requisite to get the HK ID? Because on the imm.hk website , i haven't seen any rule that states so. The rule only says that if your visa is less than 6 months, you are 'exempt' from needing a HK ID, but doesn't forbid you from applying for it anyways. Is the 6month thing the actual law? Because i desperately need a HK ID in order to get my US Visitor Visa.