The story
From 1 October 2026, Hong Kong's invitation-based entry facilitation covers Central Asian and Gulf Cooperation Council nationals alongside ASEAN nationals. The useful first check is whether a Hong Kong government bureau or department has invited you; nationality alone does not open the route.
Last verified: 2 October 2026 · Traveler Intelligence · Hong Kong
Hong Kong's Invited Persons Scheme is not a general visa waiver. The government's 24 September announcement says the 1 October expansion covers five Central Asian and six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. All government bureaux and departments can now issue invitations to people contributing to economic development or attending important events.
Who is covered, and where does the process start?
The Central Asian countries are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The GCC countries are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Immigration Department lists them alongside the 11 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries already covered. A covered passport is a scope condition, not an invitation.
The inviting bureau or department emails the intended invitee. The person replies with their passport name and preferred email; Immigration then sends an application link. The department says results are sent within two weeks after complete information is received. This does not guarantee approval.
What changes after an invitation?
The Immigration Department describes one-stop electronic handling, relaxed supporting-document requirements and, where a visit visa is needed, a multiple-journey visa allowing a two-month stay per visit. It says the e-Visa and e-Card are valid for three years, with no additional fee for the e-Card. Invited people can use a courtesy channel; e-Channel enrolment is relaxed for a passport valid for at least six months. A passport renewal can require fresh enrolment within the three-year status period.
Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Singapore nationals already have 90-day visa-free stays, which this scheme does not change. A three-year document does not mean a three-year continuous stay. Check the permission that applies to the actual passport and visit.
Longer document validity may reduce repeat paperwork. The research found no invitee count, approval rate, measured queue reduction or economic outcome; overall time savings cannot be claimed.
What an e-Card does not grant
An invitation or e-Card does not guarantee admission or waive every required visit visa. Hong Kong's general visitor e-Channel guidance describes other eligibility routes; invited-person access is targeted. The separate short-term-activity scheme has different conditions, so an event invitation under this scheme should not be assumed to satisfy that separate route.
Someone adding sightseeing to an invited trip should confirm the inviting office, the Immigration Department link, any visa requirement, and permitted stay and activities. The three-year card does not answer those questions.
Sources and scope
The announcement, Immigration Department page and e-Channel guidance were checked in the supplied research on 2 October 2026. Individual admission and real-world time savings remain unverified. Recheck official instructions before travel.
Independent editorial coverage. No affiliate links, paid placement or commercial partnership.
This is not immigration or legal advice: use official Hong Kong guidance for the passport and purpose of travel in question.