Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [235]
The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology ( Map; 2358 6000; www.ust.hk) admitted its first students in 1991, and it is situated at Tai Po Tsai in Clearwater Bay in the New Territories.
The other five universities are based in Kowloon, and include the Hong Kong Polytechnic University ( Map; 2766 5111; www.polyu.edu.hk) in Hung Hom, which was set up in 1972.
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USEFUL ORGANISATIONS
Hong Kong Consumer Council ( 2929 2222; www.consumer.org.hk) Can help with complaints about dishonest shopkeepers and other rip-offs.
Royal Asiatic Society ( 2813 7500; www.royalasiaticsociety.org.hk; GPO Box 3864, Central) Organises lectures, field trips of cultural and historical interest and puts out publications.
Royal Geographical Society ( 2583 9700; www.rgshk.org.hk; GPO Box 6681, Central) Organises lectures by high-profile local and foreign travellers, as well as hikes and field trips.
World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong (WWFHK; 2526 1011; www.wwf.org.hk; 1 Tramway Path, Central)
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VISAS & PASSPORTS
A passport is essential for visiting Hong Kong, and if yours is within six months of expir-ation, get a new one. If you’ll be staying for some time in Hong Kong, it’s wise to register with your consulate. This makes the replacement process much simpler if you lose your passport or it is stolen.
Hong Kong residents are required to carry an officially issued identification card at all times (Click here). Visitors should carry their passports with them at all times, as the immigration authorities do frequent spot checks to catch illegal workers and those who overstay their visas, and this is the only form of identification acceptable to the Hong Kong police.
The vast majority of travellers, including citizens of Australia, Canada, the EU, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the USA, are allowed to enter the Hong Kong SAR without a visa and stay for 90 days. Holders of British passports can stay up to 180 days without a visa, but British Dependent Territories and British Overseas citizens not holding a visa are only allowed to remain 90 days. Holders of many African (including South African), South American and Middle Eastern passports do not require visas for visits of 30 days or less.
If you do require a visa, you must apply beforehand at the nearest Chinese consulate or embassy; for addresses and contact information, consult the website www.immd.gov.hk/e html/embassy.htm.
If you plan on visiting mainland China, you must have a visa, and US citizens must apply for their visas prior to crossing the border; for further details, see Click here.
Visitors may have to prove they have adequate funds for their stay (a credit card should do the trick) and that they hold an onward or return ticket. Ordinary visas cost $160 (or the equivalent in local currency), while transit visas are $90.
Visitors are not permitted to take up employment, establish any sort of business or enrol as students while visiting on a tourist visa. If you want to work or study, you must apply for an employment or student visa beforehand. It is very hard to change your visa status after you have arrived in Hong Kong. Anyone wishing to stay longer than the visa-free period must apply for a visa before travelling to Hong Kong. For details on applying for a work permit, see Click here.
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Visa Extensions
In general, visa extensions ($160) are not readily granted unless there are special or extenuating circumstances, such as cancelled flights, illness, registration in a legitimate course of study, legal employment, or marriage