What are you preparing for?
Find a guide here
Find help with applications, renewals, schools, phone services, renting and work. Search by keyword or browse a section.
All guides
40 guides · Page 2, with practical steps, FAQs and verifiable sources.
Healthcare in Hong Kong: family medicine, emergencies and records
Understand public and private entry points and eligibility, and prepare medical, medication and emergency information before someone becomes unwell.
- Hospital Authority general outpatient clinics were renamed Family Medicine Clinics and related names from 11 October 2025.
- Check current Hospital Authority eligibility, charges and booking instructions.
- Do not wait for an ordinary appointment in an emergency; use appropriate primary care for routine needs.
Helping children settle into Hong Kong school life
New classrooms, languages and friendships take getting used to. Use preparation and observations over the first eight weeks to understand what is difficult and when to ask teachers or other professionals for support.
- Adjustment includes classroom expression, homework habits and belonging, as well as understanding Cantonese.
- Initiation and Induction Programmes serve different purposes; ask the school or Education Bureau about suitability.
- Build a safe, predictable routine before adding support based on observed needs.
Keeping every family member’s renewal on track
Partners and children may have different expiry dates, travel plans or replacement documents. Check each person’s status and evidence, then follow their submission, signature, payment and visa collection through to completion.
- Dependant permission is generally linked to the sponsor, but renewing the principal applicant does not complete everyone else’s case.
- QMAS dependants fall within specified schemes and the current three-month window and at-least-six-week submission requirements.
- Check each person’s documents, physical presence, signature and result individually.
Kindergarten admission: K1 applications and registration documents
School applications and Education Bureau registration documents both need attention. Start with your child’s age and intended school year, then compare schools against everyday care needs.
- Applying to a kindergarten and applying for a Registration Certificate are separate tasks to manage together.
- Use the Education Bureau and school timetable for the actual entry year, not dates from an older year.
- Half-day, whole-day and long whole-day provision differ in collection times and holiday care.
Making your achievements clear under the Achievement-based Points Test
A certificate or a long CV may leave important questions unanswered. Explain the award, your own contribution, recognition from peers and the impact of your work through evidence others can check.
- This exceptionally demanding route requires either a major achievement award or evidence of peer recognition or a significant contribution to your field.
- Prominent work, patents and references are possible forms of evidence; none automatically establishes eligibility.
- A chain linking achievement, personal role, external recognition and verification is more useful than simply adding attachments.
Mobile and broadband contracts: fees, number porting and moving home
Compare total costs and exit terms, checking coverage, contract duration, additional charges and cancellation procedures before signing.
- Compare spending over the entire contract, rather than judging by a discounted first month.
- Number porting and contract cancellation are different; old-contract charges can remain after a successful transfer.
- For home broadband, verify installation at the actual building and unit, technology and moving terms.
MPF when starting work: enrolment, contributions and account checks
Check coverage or exemption first, then verify employer enrolment, deductions, actual contributions and account arrangements after leaving a job.
- Non-exempt regular employees generally aged 18 to 64 and employed for at least 60 continuous days are covered.
- Check full-time, part-time, probation and specified-industry casual employment rules separately.
- A payslip deduction does not prove receipt: check the MPF account.
Opening a bank account: documents, checks and security
Choose an account around your everyday needs, prepare the evidence your bank actually requests, and check payments and security once it opens.
- Requirements differ by bank and customer; no universal checklist guarantees approval.
- Explain real needs such as salary, daily payments or savings using accurate information.
- After opening, maintain contacts, alerts, limits and security settings.
Planning the dates for your QMAS renewal
Work backwards from your actual expiry to prepare documents, submit and arrange time in Hong Kong. Keep official deadlines, general processing information and your own contingency time distinct.
- From 1 March 2026, QMAS entrants and their dependants can generally apply within the three months before expiry.
- The current Guidance Notes call for early submission and, in all cases, at least six weeks before expiry.
- Submission, supplementary documents, approval, payment and collection are separate milestones. The original expiry still needs its own plan.
Preparing a QMAS application, from eligibility to arrival
Work out where to start, which documents may take time to obtain, and what still needs doing after approval. Use this guide to plan around your work and family circumstances.
- A standard new application does not require a Hong Kong job offer, but you must meet the prerequisites and pass assessment under your chosen mechanism.
- The General Points Test currently has 12 criteria and a threshold of six. Meeting that threshold does not guarantee approval.
- Organise evidence and a budget around your family circumstances before applying online. Approval must still be followed by visa collection and any applicable travel formalities.
Preparing employment evidence for a QMAS renewal
Understand the different roles of a contract, payslip, bank credit and duties letter. Explain the real employment arrangement, including pay changes, a new job, probation or work across borders.
- A contract shows agreed terms; payroll and bank records show performance; a duties letter explains the work.
- Further extensions emphasise settlement and contribution in Hong Kong. Re-submitting an old offer letter is not enough preparation.
- Ordinary QMAS renewals do not have one official minimum monthly salary applying to everyone.
QMAS renewal documents: what applies to your case?
Identity records, employment or business evidence, family documents and supporting material serve different purposes. Match the official requirements to your circumstances, then check formats, readability and common omissions.
- Prepare identity and existing-permission records for mandatory official fields first, then choose evidence for your renewal route.
- Clarity, consistent dates and cross-checkable facts matter more than attachment volume.
- This guide separates official document lists from our organisation suggestions. Individual supplementary requests take priority.