Hong Kong extends visa-free stay for business travel card holders to 90 days from today

Hong Kong's Immigration Department announced on October 30 that, from today (November 1), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC) holders pre-approved by Hong Kong may stay visa-free in the city for up to 90 days, up from 60 days. The department said Hong Kong is aligning with the mainland's implementation date, as part of a coordinated relaxation promoted by the APEC Business Mobility Group.

Five economies relax together; everything else stays the same

A department spokesman said the APEC Business Mobility Group had announced that, to further enhance the card's usefulness, five economies participating in the scheme — including China, China's Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore — would relax the maximum stay for visiting pre-approved card holders from 60 to 90 days, with each economy setting its own implementation date; China implements the change from November 1, and Hong Kong follows the same date. The spokesman stressed that other entry arrangements for ABTC holders in Hong Kong remain unchanged — only the maximum length of stay changes.

What it means in practice

For business travellers moving around the region, the extra 30 days mean a single trip can cover a longer round of meetings, project follow-ups or trade shows without leaving and re-entering. The relaxation applies only to holders already pre-approved by Hong Kong, not to all travellers; before travelling, card holders should still confirm their approval status and card validity to avoid trouble at the border.