The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport () is a passport issued to permanent residents of Hong Kong who also hold Chinese citizenship. The passport is referred to both as the HKSAR Passport and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport. In accordance with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, since the handover in 1997, the passport has been issued by the Immigration Department of the Government of Hong Kong under the authorisation of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China. As the official languages of Hong Kong are Chinese and English, the passport is printed bilingually in both Chinese (traditional characters) and English.
Hong Kong SAR passports issued overseas via Chinese diplomatic missions abroad display a “This Passport is issued by……” stamp and the mission's official seal on observations page. However, unlike Chinese passports which can be directly issued by Chinese diplomatic missions abroad, the Immigration Department of Hong Kong is the only issuing authority for Hong Kong SAR passports.
In late 2019, the fourth version of the Hong Kong SAR passport was launched. Hong Kong SAR passport holders have visa-free or visa on arrival access to 175 countries and territories, ranking the passport 13th in the world according to the 2026 edition of the Henley Passport Index.
Name In English, the passport is sometimes referred to by its long-form name which appears on the cover (i.e. the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport – a literal translation of the Chinese title ). Note that: The "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region People's Republic of China Passport (HKSAR Passport)" is valid for a V1 exemption to Switzerland. Note that: The Finnish Government states that the holder of a "passport [of the] Hong Kong Special Administrative Region – People's Republic of China" can enter Finland visa-free. Note that: The French Government states that a short stay visa to France is waived for "holders of passports from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". Alternatively, the passport is commonly referred to as the Hong Kong SAR passport () Note that: In Section 2(d) of Appendix 1 of the United Kingdom Immigration Rules, "nationals or citizens of the People's Republic of China holding passports issued by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" are eligible for visa-free entry to the UK. (the Hong Kong legislative ordinance concerning the passport is titled the "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passports Ordinance (Chapter 539)", the Hong Kong SAR passport, Note that: The Australian Government lists the Hong Kong SAR as an ETA-eligible passport. Note that: The New Zealand Consulate-General in Hong Kong lists the Hong Kong SAR passport as a Hong Kong passport eligible for visa-free entry to New Zealand. Note that: The German Consulate General in Hong Kong states that "holders of a Hong Kong S.A.R. passport do not need a visa for Schengen countries up to 90 days in any 6-month period". Note that: The Consulate-General of Spain in Hong Kong states that Hong Kong SAR passport holders can enter Spain visa-free. Note that: The Consulate-General of the Czech Republic in Hong Kong states that "Holders of Hong Kong SAR ... passports are entitled to a visa-free entry to Schengen countries lasting no more than 3 months in any six-month period from the date of first entry in the territory of the Member States". the HKSAR passport Note that: The Consulate-General of Belgium in Hong Kong and Macau states that holders of HKSAR passports can enter Belgium visa-free for up to 90 days. The Icelandic Directorate of Immigration website states that "those who carry HKSAR passports" are visa exempt to Iceland. or the Hong Kong passport. Note that: The Chinese Embassy website uses the term "HongKong Passport".
Historical background
Hong Kong official travel documents prior to 1997 included the Hong Kong Certificate of Identity (CI), British Dependent Territories Citizen (BDTC), British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) and British Citizen (BC) passports. After 1997, BN(O) and BC passports are still valid but CIs and BDTC passports are no longer in use.
First version (1997–2003) The issuing of Hong Kong SAR passports began on 1 July 1997, following the handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China. PRC citizens who have right of abode in the HKSAR and who hold Hong Kong permanent resident identity cards, whether or not they are holders of British National (Overseas) passport or Hong Kong Certificate of Identity or other travel documents, are eligible to apply for the Hong Kong SAR passport.
Acquisition of British citizenship in the British Nationality Selection Scheme itself does not affect the eligibility for a HKSAR passport. Nor does the holding of any foreign passport itself affect the eligibility for a HKSAR passport, provided that one remains a PRC citizen.
Under Hong Kong Basic Law, the Government of Hong Kong is responsible for immigration control in the territory. The Hong Kong SAR passport is issued by the Immigration Department of Hong Kong under the authorisation of the Central People's Government (or the State Council). Its design is distinct from other types of People's Republic of China passports and the holders enjoy visa-free entry to more countries than other PRC passports.
Second version (2003–2007) Starting from 1 January 2003, the second version of the passport was introduced with enhanced security features. The passport was machine readable, designed for immigration control points equipped with passport scanners. The passport size was . The second version of the Hong Kong SAR passport was available either as a 32-page ordinary-size passport or as a 48-page passport.
Front cover The cover of the passport was dark blue with wording and the national emblem of the People's Republic of China in gold. The word Passport in Chinese and English is found below the crest. Above are the words Hong Kong Special Administrative Region People's Republic of China, also in Chinese and English. In Chinese, the characters (People's Republic of China) are bigger than the characters (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) on the passport cover. In English, however, "HONG KONG" is bigger than the phrase "SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA".
Inner front cover
The passport note appeared on the second page in Chinese and English:
Inner pages
The passport's observations page on page 3 had the following:
the holder's Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card number, and the Chinese Commercial Code of the holder's Chinese name if the passport was issued through a Chinese foreign mission, the embassy/consulate would also make an endorsement in the observations stating so. an official chop by the Immigration Department a machine-readable barcode
The passport's explanatory notes were on page 1 in Chinese, and on page 2 in English. They consisted of the following words:
Identification page Personal data was recorded on the inner rear cover of the passport, which was covered with a security laminate. Details included were:
Travel document type: P Code of Issuing State: CHN (People's Republic of China) Passport number (A valid Hong Kong passport number consists of nine characters: one or two uppercase letters, followed by six digits, and ending with one or two letters or digits) Surname and Given Names: in traditional Chinese and English Nationality: "CHINESE" (The nationality code is CHN as shown in the machine readable zone) Sex: denoted as "M" (male) or "F" (female) Place of birth: if born in China, name of province/autonomous region/municipality; if born in Hong Kong or Macao, 'Hong Kong' or 'Macao'; if born in other countries, name of country Dates of birth, issue and expiry: displayed in the format DD-MM-YY Authority (of issue): "IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION" (in Chinese and English)
There was also a machine readable zone at the bottom of the identification page.
Changes from the first version included optically variable ink used to print the letters "HKSAR" along the left hand side of the photo and the words "IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION" in the "Issuing authority" section of the personal data page.
Third version (2007–2018) Since the issuing of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport commenced on 1 July 1997 following the handover of Hong Kong, the passport has undergone three different changes, each with security enhancements. In February 2007, the first ePassport was introduced. The design conforms with the document design recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization. The new ePassport featured in the 2008 Stockholm Challenge Event and was a finalist for the Stockholm Challenge Award in the Public Administration category. The Hong Kong SAR ePassport design was praised on account of the "multiple state-of-the-art technologies [which] are seamlessly integrated in the sophisticated Electronic Passport System (e-Passport System)". The cover of the new biometric passport remains essentially the same as that of previous versions, with the addition of the biometric passport logo at the bottom.
Physical appearance In 2006, the Immigration Department announced that Unihub Limited (a PCCW subsidiary company heading a consortium of suppliers, including Keycorp) had won the tender to provide the technology to produce biometric passports. In February 2007, the first ePassport was introduced. The cover of the new biometric passport remains essentially the same as that of previous versions. The biometric passport symbol appears at the bottom under the word "PASSPORT". However, the design of the inner pages has changed substantially.
Inside front cover
On the inner front cover of the passport, below the crest of the People's Republic of China and above a picture of the Great Wall of China are the following words:The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China requests all civil and military authorities of foreign countries to allow the bearer of this passport to pass freely and afford assistance in case of need.On the reverse of the polycarbonate identification page insert is a blue image with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region emblem in the centre. At the top is a pattern of the words " HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA". At the bottom is a picture of Victoria Harbour behind an outline of the Great Wall of China.
Identification page The identification page appears on a polycarbonate insert between the front cover and the first page. Using laser engraving technology, the holder's photograph is printed in black and white, with the holder's Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card number printed vertically on the right-hand side of the portrait photograph. The passport is also machine readable, designed for immigration control points equipped with passport scanners. Details which are printed include:
Travel document type: P Code of Issuing State: CHN Passport number (A valid Hong Kong passport number consists of nine characters: one or two uppercase letters, followed by six digits, and ending with one or two letters or digits) Surname and Given Names: in traditional Chinese characters and English Nationality: "CHINESE" (The nationality code is CHN as shown in the machine readable zone) Sex: denoted as "M" (male) or "F" (female) Place of birth: if born in China, the name of the province/autonomous region/municipality in which the bearer was born; if born in Hong Kong or Macao, 'Hong Kong' or 'Macao'; if born in other countries, the name of the country of birth Dates of birth, issuance and expiry: displayed in the format DD-MMM-YY Authority (of issue): "IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION" (in Chinese and English)