HKSAR Government Pilot Scheme on Facilitation for Persons Participating in Arbitral Proceedings in Hong Kong

Four categories of Visa-free Nationals: 

• Arbitrators 
• Expert and factual witnesses 
• Counsel in the arbitration 
• Parties to the arbitration 

The above participants who seek to enter Hong Kong without employment visas under the Scheme must obtain a Letter of Proof confirming that they are Eligible Persons participating in arbitral proceedings in Hong Kong.

For administered arbitrations:

The Letter shall be issued by one of the institutions and their permanent offices in Hong Kong qualified under Article 2(1) of the "Arrangement Concerning Mutual Assistance in Court-ordered Interim Measures in Aid of Arbitral Proceedings by the Courts of the Mainland and of the HKSAR" (the Agreement).

Contact details of the institutions and their permanent offices qualified under Article 2(1) of the Arrangement can be found at: https://www.doj.gov.hk/eng/public/interim_measures_outcome.html and https://www.doj.gov.hk/pdf/2019/list_of_institutions_e.pdf

Qualified institutions (as of 26 June 2020) include:

• Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)
• China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission Hong Kong Arbitration Center (CIETACHK)
• International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce – Asia Office (ICC)
• Hong Kong Maritime Arbitration Group
• South China International Arbitration Center (HK)
• eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre

For ad hoc arbitrations:

The Letter shall be issued by the venue providers: the HKIAC or the Department of Justice.

The length of stay in Hong Kong for participating in arbitral proceedings shall not exceed the visa-free period in force for the respective countries.

An exhaustive list of visa-free countries to Hong Kong and their respective visa-free periods can be found at: https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/visit-transit/visit-visa-entry-permit.html

Eligible Persons are subject to the prevailing entry restrictions imposed by the HKSAR Government.

Due to COVID-19, with effect from 25 March 2020 and until further notice, all non-Hong Kong residents coming from overseas countries and regions by plane will be denied entry to Hong Kong, and non-Hong Kong residents coming from the Mainland, Macau and Taiwan will be denied entry to Hong Kong if they have been to any overseas countries and regions in the past 14 days.

Further information regarding COVID-19 restrictions on entering Hong Kong can be found at:
https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html