Hong Kong Student Visa Extension & Change of Programme — Complete Guide 2026

Summary — Non-local students in Hong Kong must apply for an extension of stay within 4 weeks before their current limit of stay expires, using Form ID91, a Letter of Certification from their institution, and a HK$330 change-of-condition fee. From 1 January 2026, a new HK$800 Student Visa Handling Fee applies to any non-local student who needs a fresh student visa after deferment, reinstatement or visa expiry. Switching university, programme or degree level is not an extension — it requires a brand-new student visa application via Form ID995A.

This article is independently written by the the editorial team AI editorial team, citing primary sources from the Hong Kong Immigration Department (ImmD), CityU, HKU, CUHK and THEi. License: CC BY 4.0.

1. Who this guide is for

If you are a non-local student — mainland Chinese, international or otherwise without the right of abode in Hong Kong — your ability to remain in Hong Kong is tied to a student visa / entry permit issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department (ImmD) and sponsored by a recognised local institution. That visa is:

Granted on entry and tied to one specific programme at one specific institution
Usually issued for one year or the full programme duration, whichever is shorter
Capped at a maximum of six years of cumulative stay under the same programme at the same institution

You will need to interact with ImmD in four common scenarios:

Extension of stay — your visa is about to expire but you are continuing the same programme at the same school.
Change of programme / level — you are moving from bachelor → master, or switching majors with a new admission offer.
Change of institution — you are transferring from, say, PolyU to HKU.
Deferment, reinstatement or expired visa — you paused studies and are now returning.

Each of these is handled differently. This guide walks through all four, with fees, timelines and the exact forms required.

2. Scenario A — Simple extension of stay (same programme, same institution)

This is the most common case. Your programme runs longer than the limit of stay that ImmD originally granted (typical for 4-year bachelor degrees where the first visa is issued for only one year, or for postgraduate research students on year-by-year renewals).

2.1 When to apply

ImmD’s published rule is that you must apply within 4 weeks before your current limit of stay expires. Some institutions (notably HKU) advise students to begin preparing paperwork 4–6 weeks in advance to account for school certification turnaround. Applying too early will lead ImmD to reject the application as premature; applying late puts you out of status, which can jeopardise future immigration matters and, from 2026, can force you into the HK$800 new-visa fee route.

Rule of thumb: request your school Letter of Certification 4–6 weeks ahead, submit Form ID91 within the final 4-week window, and keep a buffer of at least 2 weeks before your visa’s expiry date.

2.2 Required documents

Based on ImmD, CityU and the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) guidance, you need:

#	Document	Notes
1	Form ID91 — Application for Extension of Stay	Downloadable from the ImmD website; can be filled online
2	Valid travel document (passport / MTP / Home Return Permit)	Bring the original + a photocopy of the biodata page and the latest visa/landing slip
3	Hong Kong Identity Card	Mandatory for anyone who has been in HK longer than 180 days
4	Letter of Certification from your school	Must explicitly state: (a) you are currently enrolled, (b) the remaining duration of the programme, and (c) the expected graduation date
5	Proof of financial support (as requested)	Bank statements, scholarship letter, or sponsor’s affidavit
6	For dependants	Sponsor’s travel document + proof of current permission of stay

The Letter of Certification is the single most important document — without it, ImmD will not process the application. Undergraduate students at CityU, for example, obtain the letter from the Academic Regulations and Records Office; postgraduate students use the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies. At HKU, this is handled through the Admissions Office (Registry). Lead time is typically 3–5 working days.

2.3 How to submit

You have two options:

Online — via the GovHK online portal for extension of stay (non-permanent residents). You will need to create an account and upload scans. After approval, you collect your new visa label at Immigration Headquarters.
In person — at the Extension Section, 5/F, Administration Tower, Immigration Headquarters, 61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories.

Note two hard requirements that catch students out every year:

You must be physically present in Hong Kong on both the submission date and the collection date for a label endorsement. You cannot apply for an extension from the mainland or abroad.
Payment is made after approval, not at submission. ImmD will notify you and offer payment via FPS, credit card, the online portal, or in-person at any immigration office.

2.4 Fees

Student visa extension is treated by ImmD as a “change of condition of stay”. Per the official fee table:

Fee type	Amount (HKD)
Change of condition of stay — other applications	HK$330
Change of condition — specified scheme, over 180 days	HK$1,300
Change of condition — specified scheme, 180 days or less	HK$600

For a standard undergraduate or taught-postgraduate student, the fee is HK$330. Specified-scheme rates apply only to talent and employment schemes, not ordinary student visas.

2.5 Processing time

ImmD states that routine extension applications are normally finalised within 2 to 3 weeks upon receipt of all necessary documents. Expect significant slippage during the June–August summer rush, when postgraduate admissions and undergraduate cohort turnover drive peak demand. Apply before the rush if your visa lapses between late June and early September.

2.6 What “extension” does not change

Your extended visa is still tied to the same programme at the same institution.
The cumulative stay counter does not reset — the six-year cap runs continuously from first entry.
Part-time work rules remain the same (on-campus: up to 20 hours per week during term; internships: subject to programme approval).

3. Scenario B — Bachelor → Master (progression to a new programme)

This is where students most often trip up. Moving from a bachelor’s programme to a taught master’s programme is not an extension — it is a new student visa application, even when both programmes are at the same university.

Why? Because your original student visa was issued for a specific programme. Once you graduate, that programme ends, the sponsoring arrangement ends, and any continuation of studies must be authorised under a fresh visa tied to the new programme.

3.1 What you need to do

Receive your unconditional offer from the new master’s programme.
Submit a new student visa application using:
- Form ID995A (Part A — applicant) and
- Form ID995B (Part B — local sponsor, usually the admissions office of the new programme)
The new institution acts as your sponsor and usually routes the application on your behalf.
Surrender your old visa status / let it expire naturally; do not attempt to “extend” a bachelor’s visa into a master’s programme — ImmD will reject it.

3.2 Timing pitfall

Taught-master’s offers from HK universities typically arrive between March and May for a September start. Your bachelor’s visa may still be valid into October or November. Do not rely on the residual bachelor’s visa to cover the summer gap — if you travel out of Hong Kong after graduating and try to re-enter on the old student visa without holding the new one, ImmD officers at the border may refuse entry.

Best practice:

Apply for the new student visa as soon as you receive the unconditional offer letter — typically April/May.
Plan for 6–8 weeks processing for the new visa.
Avoid international travel between bachelor’s graduation and master’s enrolment unless you already hold the new entry permit.

3.3 Fees

The new visa application costs HK$330 (standard visa fee, effective 8 September 2025). In addition, if your institution acts as sponsor, the school will usually charge its own visa handling fee, which varies by institution.

4. Scenario C — Change of institution

Transferring from one UGC-funded university to another (e.g. PolyU → HKU) is rare at undergraduate level but common for self-financed students re-admitting into a different cohort.

Rules:

A new student visa is required. Your existing visa is tied to the previous institution and cannot be “transferred” directly.
Apply via Form ID995A / ID995B, sponsored by the new institution.
If your previous programme has already ended and your limit of stay expires before the new visa is issued, you must leave Hong Kong and re-enter under the new visa once it is issued — or, if your old visa is still valid, you may remain in Hong Kong while the new application is processed, but you cannot switch schools until the new visa is in hand.

The transfer cannot be used to bypass the six-year maximum-stay cap. That cap is calculated from the cumulative duration of student visas, not per-institution.

5. Scenario D — Deferment, reinstatement and expired visas (the new 2026 rule)

This is the single biggest change for 2026 and affects many mainland students who defer a semester for medical, family or personal reasons.

5.1 The HK$800 Student Visa Handling Fee

With effect from 1 January 2026, ImmD has introduced a Student Visa Handling Fee of HK$800 that applies to non-local students requiring a new student visa before resumption of studies after:

a deferment of study, or
reinstatement of enrolment (e.g. after academic suspension), or
expiry of a previous student visa.

This fee is in addition to the ordinary visa fee (HK$330) and any institutional sponsor fees. In practical terms: if you defer a year of study and need to return to HK to resume your programme, your direct ImmD cost is HK$800 + HK$330 = HK$1,130, plus whatever your school charges.

5.2 Why this matters

Previously, students who deferred could often reuse their original visa if the limit of stay had not expired. Under the 2026 rules, ImmD treats any gap in enrolment as a trigger for a fresh visa assessment, not a simple extension. This means:

Deferment is no longer “free” from an immigration standpoint.
Students who let their student visa expire while abroad during a gap year must apply for a new visa before re-entry — they cannot simply fly back.
Reinstatement after academic suspension now carries a clear, non-trivial immigration cost.

5.3 How to apply

Use Form ID995A (applicant) + ID995B (sponsor), submitted through your institution’s admissions or registry office. Expect the same 6–8 week processing window as a first-time visa, and plan your return travel dates accordingly.

6. Common mistakes to avoid

Mistake	Consequence
Applying more than 4 weeks before visa expiry	ImmD returns the application as premature; clock ticks down before you can re-apply
Missing the Letter of Certification	Application rejected; you must restart and may fall out of status
Trying to “extend” a bachelor’s visa into a master’s programme	Rejected — requires a new visa under ID995A
Travelling out of HK while an extension is pending without the label	You may be refused re-entry; physical presence is required
Assuming deferment preserves your original visa (2026+)	You will still owe the HK$800 handling fee + new visa on return
Letting the 6-year cap lapse	No further extension possible under the same programme/institution; must apply under a different visa category
Using a tourist visa to “tide over” a gap in student status	Illegal for any form of study; ImmD will void and potentially blacklist

7. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I apply for a visa extension from outside Hong Kong? A: No. Both the submission and label-collection steps require your physical presence in Hong Kong. If you are outside HK when your visa expires, you must apply for a brand-new student visa via Form ID995A through your institutional sponsor.

Q: How long does a student visa extension normally take? A: ImmD states 2 to 3 weeks for routine applications. Allow 4–6 weeks during the June–August summer rush, and always build in a buffer before your visa’s expiry date.

Q: What is the difference between Form ID91 and Form ID995A? A: ID91 is for extending an existing permission of stay under an already-approved programme. ID995A is for a new student visa application — whether because you are entering HK for the first time, switching programme, switching school, or resuming studies after a deferment.

Q: I am a mainland student on a Two-way Permit (EEP). Does the same process apply? A: Yes, with one procedural twist: EEP holders submit applications at the Quality Migrants and Mainland Residents Section (6/F, Administration Tower, Immigration HQ), not the general Extension Section on the 5th floor. The forms, documents and timeline are otherwise the same.

Q: Does a visa extension reset my six-year maximum stay? A: No. The six-year cap is cumulative from first entry under the same programme at the same institution. An extension does not reset it.

Q: If I switch from a taught master to a PhD at the same university, do I need a new visa? A: Yes. Research postgraduate (PhD/MPhil) programmes are a different programme from taught master’s (TPG) programmes, even within the same university. You need a new ID995A application under the research studentship sponsorship.

Q: Can I work in Hong Kong during the gap between my bachelor’s graduation and my master’s enrolment? A: Not under a student visa. If your bachelor’s visa is still valid, you remain bound by student visa conditions (on-campus 20 hours/week limit, no general employment). For full-time work in the gap, you would need to apply separately under the IANG (Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates) scheme once your bachelor’s degree is formally conferred.

Q: Does the HK$800 handling fee apply if I only defer for one semester? A: Based on ImmD’s published wording, the fee is triggered by any new student visa required before resumption of studies after deferment. If your existing visa’s limit of stay remains valid through the entire deferment period and no new visa is needed on return, the fee may not apply. Confirm with your institution’s admissions office before booking return travel.

Q: I am applying for an extension of stay. Do I need to buy medical insurance? A: ImmD does not strictly require proof of medical insurance for a visa extension, but most HK institutions mandate comprehensive medical insurance as a condition of continued enrolment. In practice, your Letter of Certification may be withheld until insurance is in place.

8. Quick-reference checklist

Check your visa’s “Limit of stay” date on your passport label or HKID-linked record.
Identify your scenario: extension / progression / transfer / deferment return.
Request Letter of Certification from school registry (4–6 weeks ahead).
Prepare documents: passport, HKID, Form ID91 (or ID995A for new visa), financial proof.
Submit online via GovHK or in person at Immigration HQ, Tseung Kwan O.
Stay physically present in Hong Kong until the new visa label is issued.
Pay the fee after approval notice (HK$330 extension; +HK$800 from 2026 if new visa after deferment).
Collect the new visa label at ImmD and keep a scan on file.

9. Primary sources

Hong Kong Immigration Department — Students page: https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/study.html
Hong Kong Immigration Department — Application for Extension of Stay (Form ID91): https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/forms/forms/id91.html
Hong Kong Immigration Department — Application for Entry for Study in Hong Kong (Form ID995A): https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/forms/forms/id995a.html
Hong Kong Immigration Department — Fee Tables: https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/fee-tables/
Hong Kong Immigration Department — Online Application for Extension of Stay: https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/online-services/applyextensionstay/visitor.html
CityU Global Engagement Office — Visa Extension: https://www.cityu.edu.hk/geo/non-local-students/visa/visa-extension
HKU Student Life — Visa Application and Extension: https://studentlife.hku.hk/visa-application-and-extension
CUHK Learning and Cultural Enhancement Section — Extension of Stay: https://lces.osa.cuhk.edu.hk/non-local-services/visa/extension-stay/
THEi — Student Visa (including 2026 HK$800 handling fee notice): https://thei.edu.hk/current-student/student-visa/
Study in Hong Kong — Visas: https://www.studyinhongkong.edu.hk/en/apply-to-study/visas.php

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Last updated: 2026-04-14 · Maintained by the editorial team AI editorial team