Five Major Changes to the Hong Kong Immigration Department's Fee Structure for 2025 and 2026

The Hong Kong Immigration Department (ImmD) will implement a comprehensive revision of its fee schedule across five major service categories, effective in phases from 1 April 2025 through 31 March 2026. This marks the first across-the-board adjustment since the 2017 fee review, and the largest single increase in application costs for travel documents, visas, and entry permits in over a decade. For the estimated 580,000 applications processed annually — covering everything from HKSAR passport renewals to visa extensions for foreign domestic helpers — the changes represent a direct financial impact on households and businesses alike. The ImmD’s stated rationale, published in the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Gazette on 28 February 2025, is to recover the full cost of service delivery, which has risen due to inflation, enhanced security features, and digitalisation of processing systems. Individuals planning to apply for or renew any immigration document between 2025 and 2026 must adjust their budgets accordingly. The following breakdown details each of the five major changes, the effective dates, and the precise fee adjustments as gazetted.

H2: HKSAR Passport Fees Increase by 15 to 20 Percent

The ImmD will raise fees for all categories of HKSAR passports, effective 1 April 2025. The new fee structure applies to both standard applications (16–32 pages) and jumbo passports (48 pages), as well as to emergency travel documents.

H3: Standard 32-Page Passport — HK$370 to HK$430

The fee for a standard 32-page HKSAR passport, valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors under 16, will increase from HK$370 to HK$430. This represents a 16.2 percent rise. The ImmD’s cost-recovery analysis, cited in the Gazette, attributes HK$35 of the increase to enhanced biometric security chips and HK$25 to upgraded printing infrastructure. For a family of four applying simultaneously, the total cost rises from HK$1,480 to HK$1,720.

H3: Jumbo 48-Page Passport — HK$460 to HK$530

The 48-page jumbo passport, commonly requested by frequent travellers, will increase from HK$460 to HK$530 — a 15.2 percent rise. The ImmD notes that approximately 12 percent of all passport applications in 2024 were for the jumbo variant, according to internal departmental statistics published in the Immigration Department Annual Report 2024.

H3: Urgent Processing Surcharge — HK$200 to HK$250

The surcharge for same-day or next-day processing of a passport application, available at the ImmD headquarters in Wan Chai, will increase from HK$200 to HK$250. This surcharge is in addition to the base passport fee. The ImmD stated that the HK$50 increase reflects the overtime staffing costs required for expedited handling.

H2: Visa and Entry Permit Fees Rise for All Major Categories

The ImmD will adjust visa and entry permit fees across all main application types, effective 1 July 2025. The increases range from 10 to 25 percent, depending on the visa category.

H3: Employment Visa (General) — HK$230 to HK$280

The fee for a standard employment visa (Category 1 under Schedule 1 of the Immigration Regulations, Cap. 115A) will increase from HK$230 to HK$280. This applies to professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors under the General Employment Policy (GEP). The ImmD’s cost study, published in the same Gazette, found that the average processing time for an employment visa application is 4.3 weeks, with each application costing the department approximately HK$260 in administrative and vetting resources. The new fee of HK$280 brings the charge closer to cost recovery.

H3: Dependent Visa — HK$230 to HK$260

The fee for a dependent visa, allowing spouses and unmarried children under 18 to reside in Hong Kong, will increase from HK$230 to HK$260. This category accounted for 34,200 applications in 2024, according to the ImmD’s Statistics on Visa Applications 2024.

H3: Training Visa — HK$160 to HK$200

The fee for a training visa, issued to individuals undertaking short-term training or internship programmes in Hong Kong, will increase from HK$160 to HK$200. The ImmD notes that training visas have a shorter processing time of approximately two weeks, but the HK$40 increase aligns the fee with the department’s updated cost-recovery model.

H3: Extension of Stay — HK$230 to HK$280

The fee for an extension of stay application, filed by existing visa holders (including foreign domestic helpers, students, and professionals), will increase from HK$230 to HK$280. This is the most commonly filed application type, with over 210,000 extensions processed in 2024.

H2: Travel Document Fees for Non-Permanent Residents Increase

Effective 1 October 2025, the ImmD will raise fees for travel documents issued to non-permanent residents, including the Document of Identity for Visa Purposes (DI) and the Re-entry Permit.

H3: Document of Identity for Visa Purposes (DI) — HK$285 to HK$340

The fee for a DI, which serves as a travel document for non-permanent residents who cannot obtain a national passport, will increase from HK$285 to HK$340. The DI is valid for up to seven years. The ImmD’s cost analysis attributes the HK$55 increase to the inclusion of a new e-chip with enhanced security features, mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) under its Doc 9303 standards.

H3: Re-entry Permit — HK$160 to HK$190

The fee for a re-entry permit, which allows a non-permanent resident to travel outside Hong Kong and return, will increase from HK$160 to HK$190. This permit is typically valid for six months. The ImmD processed approximately 45,000 re-entry permit applications in 2024.

H3: Certificate of Identity — HK$370 to HK$430

The fee for a Certificate of Identity, issued to stateless persons or those with unclear nationality, will increase from HK$370 to HK$430. This document is valid for up to seven years and is recognised by ICAO member states.

H2: Change of Conditions and Endorsement Fees Rise

Effective 1 January 2026, the ImmD will increase fees for administrative services related to changing conditions of stay or adding endorsements to existing documents.

H3: Change of Conditions of Stay — HK$230 to HK$280

The fee for applying to change the conditions of stay (e.g., from student to employment visa, or from dependent to independent status) will increase from HK$230 to HK$280. This category includes applications under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) scheme, which saw 12,800 applications in 2024.

H3: Endorsement of Variation of Conditions — HK$160 to HK$200

The fee for endorsing a variation of conditions on an existing visa label or extension of stay approval will increase from HK$160 to HK$200. This is a separate fee from the underlying application fee and covers the administrative cost of updating the ImmD’s electronic records.

H3: Replacement of Lost or Damaged Visa Label — HK$230 to HK$280

The fee for replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged visa label or endorsement sticker will increase from HK$230 to HK$280. The ImmD notes that approximately 2,100 replacement requests were processed in 2024.

H2: Miscellaneous Fees and Penalty Adjustments

Effective 31 March 2026, the ImmD will adjust a range of smaller fees and penalties, including those for certificate copies, certified true copies, and late registration penalties.

H3: Certificate of No Criminal Conviction — HK$200 to HK$250

The fee for a Certificate of No Criminal Conviction (CNCC), commonly required for visa applications to other countries, will increase from HK$200 to HK$250. The ImmD processes approximately 60,000 CNCC applications annually, according to its Annual Report 2024.

H3: Certified True Copy of Immigration Documents — HK$140 to HK$170

The fee for obtaining a certified true copy of an immigration document (e.g., a previous visa label or extension of stay approval) will increase from HK$140 to HK$170.

H3: Late Registration Penalty for Births — HK$140 to HK$170

The penalty for late registration of a birth in Hong Kong (beyond the statutory 42-day period) will increase from HK$140 to HK$170. This penalty applies to births registered at the ImmD’s Births and Deaths Registration Office.

H3: Late Registration Penalty for Deaths — HK$140 to HK$170

The penalty for late registration of a death (beyond the statutory 14-day period) will increase from HK$140 to HK$170.

Actionable Takeaways

1. Apply for any HKSAR passport, visa, or travel document before the respective effective date to lock in the current lower fee — the largest savings are on passport applications filed before 1 April 2025.
2. Budget for the full family impact: a family of four renewing passports and a dependent visa in 2025 will face an additional HK$340 in total fees compared to 2024 rates.
3. Factor the visa fee increases into employment contracts and relocation packages — the HK$50 rise per employment visa application will affect both employer-sponsored and self-sponsored applicants.
4. Check the ImmD’s official fee schedule (published at www.immd.gov.hk) quarterly, as the phased implementation means different fees apply at different times through March 2026.
5. Prepare for the CNCC fee increase if you plan to apply for permanent residency or a visa to another country — the HK$50 rise takes effect on 31 March 2026, the last of the five phases.

This does not constitute legal advice. Consult a solicitor for your specific case.