Deciding to Visit Hong Kong
Last month, I finally decided to visit my cousin working in Hong Kong. I thought getting a tourist visa would be super quick. Boy, was I wrong! Let me walk you through exactly what I did.
First Step: Checking Requirements
I googled “Hong Kong tourist visa requirements for [my country]”. Printed out the embassy checklist and highlighted things I needed:
- My passport – had to have 2 empty pages and 6 months validity left
- Old visas – dug up all my previous visas from the junk drawer
- Bank statements – downloaded 6 months PDFs from online banking
- Hotel booking – made refundable booking via travel site
- Invitation letter – my cousin typed one up with his address and ID copy
The Annoying Application Form
Downloaded the visa form and spent 2 hours filling it out. Had to restart three times because:
- Used blue ink instead of black pen
- Wrote my birth date wrong format
- Forgot to sign at page 3
Pro tip: Treat this form like your grandma’s favorite vase – handle it super carefully!
Photo Drama
The worst part? The passport photos. First attempt at drugstore came out with weird shadows. Second try at photographer cost me $15. Had to staple one behind my ears “without covering facial features” as per instructions. Felt like an idiot doing it.
Queueing at Visa Center
Showed up at visa center right when they opened at 8am. Still had 20 people ahead of me. Waited 2.5 hours just to hand over documents. The officer scanned everything and gave me a ticket with barcode to track application.
The Waiting Game
Checked status everyday on their website. For first three days it just said “Processing”. Panicked when it changed to “Under Review” on day 4. Finally on day 9 it turned to “Approved”. Did a happy dance in my kitchen!
Collecting the Visa
Went back to visa center – separate line for collection. Paid the fee (cash only, of course). When I saw that sticker in my passport, I almost hugged the clerk.
What I Learned
Start at least 6 weeks before travel! Some things nobody tells you:
- Bank statements need bank stamp and signature – mine got rejected first time
- Appointment slots disappear faster than free doughnuts
- Glue sticks work better than tape for attaching photos
Whole process took me 12 days and two visits. Would’ve been faster if I’d avoided those dumb mistakes. Anyway, off to Hong Kong next week – dim sum here I come!
