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Hong Kong passport holders now have visa-free access to two more countries from December 7, bringing the total number of countries and territories they can enter without a visa or by getting a visa on arrival to 171. The development comes after the territory’s Immigration Department announced that HKSAR passport holders can enter Angola and Kyrgyzstan without visas for a maximum of 30 days at a time.
Travellers with HKSAR passports can now visit Angola without visas for stays of up to 30 days. However, they can only stay in the country for a total of 90 days in a year at most. In addition, visitors with Hong Kong passports can stay in Kyrgyzstan for a maximum of 30 days as long as they enter the Central Asian nation via Manas International Airport in the capital city of Bishkek with a return ticket.
Earlier this year, the Hong Kong passport became the 17th most powerful in the world after moving up one place in the Henley Passport Index. In addition, HKSAR passport holders were granted visa-free access to Malaysia for a maximum of 90 days — up from the previous 30-day limit — while Georgia was also added to the list of nations that they can enter without visas.
While owners of Hong Kong passports can enter the 27-nation Schengen zone and three other countries — Cyprus, Ireland, and Romania — without visas for up to 90 days, they will have to apply for the ETIAS travel document before they travel to these places for short stays, starting in 2025.
Moreover, from 2024, it will be mandatory for all nationalities with visa-free access to the UK to apply for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) if they plan to enter the country for short-term stays of up to six months — which includes Hong Kong passport holders.
Image credits: Santa Martha & suprunvitaly via Canva
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