Over fourteen thousand travelers were refused entry to Hong Kong during the initial five months of the year 2025.
In the bustling international hub of Hong Kong, the Immigration Department has denied entry to over 12,000 visitors in the first five months of 2025. Director of Immigration, Benson Kwok Joon-fung, has emphasised that this decision was made due to questionable purposes, such as potential illegal work, insufficient funds, previous immigration violations, background checks, and security concerns.
Kwok, in a recent statement, highlighted that his officers are trained to handle such situations and work closely with their mainland Chinese counterpart. He also sought to address concerns among young people who had emigrated overseas, stating that Hong Kong residents maintain the freedom of entry and exit.
The cross-border co-location arrangement at Huanggang Port, expected to commence operations next year, has been specifically designed to accommodate a streamlined process. This arrangement allows passengers to go through exit checks on one side and immediately proceed to entry checks on the other, eliminating the need to queue twice.
Notable figures such as world No 1 snooker player Judd Trump and renowned snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan have become Hong Kong residents under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme and the Top Talent Pass Scheme respectively. The anticipated implementation of facial-recognition technology for eligible residents travelling to the airport by private car is scheduled for the third quarter of this year.
It is worth noting that the precise causes behind the reported 12,000+ denials remain unspecified in available information. However, it is common for international hubs like Hong Kong to process a substantial number of applications and reject those that do not meet established criteria.
Kwok also stated that his staff occasionally faced resistance from visitors who were denied entry. He explained that allowing such visitors could affect job opportunities for residents. The Immigration Department will not intercept or question Hong Kong residents who have not committed any illegal acts.
As of now, there is currently no official, publicly available explanation specifically addressing why over 12,000 visitors were denied entry to Hong Kong in the first five months of 2025. The most recent government statements and immigration department guidance emphasise the general conditions for visitor entry—such as possessing adequate funds, the purpose of visit being clear, and not being allowed to work or study—but do not mention a specific statistic or reason for a high number of entry denials this year.
Visitors planning a trip to Hong Kong should consider the particular criteria for entry, as over 12,000 people were denied entry in the initial months of 2025. For those desiring a change of lifestyle or travel, it's crucial to ensure that travel purposes are clear, funds are sufficient, and potential work or study intentions are avoided, to avoid encountering issues with the Immigration Department.
