Relocation: Settling in Hong Kong

Please click this link for pre-arrival checklist here and post arrival checklist.

Post-Move Checklist

Hong Kong is an ideal place to reside. However, relocating to Hong Kong has several requirements, some of which are mentioned below:

RENTING A PLACE:

We have covered this extensively in the Home Section.

7-Eleven

Hong Kong has good options when it comes to convenience stores. 7-Eleven and Japan Home Centre can be a good starting point to buy your essentials. 7-Eleven is your go-to convenience store for food, snacks, hot and cold beverages, pre-paid calling cards, basic toiletries, first aid supplies, and so much more. It also offers convenient services such as Octopus top-up, ticket sales, donations, bill payment ser-

vices, and self-pick-up services. 7-Eleven has around 900 stores across the cities, which are generally open most of hours during the day.

JHC, formerly known as Japan Home Centre, is a convenience store that offers low-priced housewares, such as ironing boards, cleaning equipment, and random kitchen appliances, tableware, station- ery, bath-ware, and much more. JHC has around 360 stores in Hong Kong.

MOBILE PHONE

Hong Kong mobile service providers offer prepaid and post-paid services. Prepaid are valid for 180 days from the date of last recharge and are more expensive. 7-Elev-en or mobile service provider outlets can offer you a prepaid card.

Mobile service providers in Hong Kong are:

• China Mobile (China Telecom)

• CSL (Telstra)

• New World Mobility (Telstra)

• 3 (Hutchison Whampoa)

• PCCW Mobile (PCCW)

• SmarTone-Vodafone (Vodafone)

Using your foreign handset

Please check if your phone works in Hong Kong. If it doesn’t, due to compatibility, you need to buy a new one.

If your phone is locked, you can visit a mo-

bile service centre to unlock it. Please refer to the computer repair section for contact details.

Hong Kong ID card

All Hong Kong residents aged 11 years or over are required to register for an identity card. Therefore, if you plan to stay longer, for instance, six months or more, then you need to submit an application for an offi- cial Hong Kong ID card within 30 days of landing. To get your ID, you would need to book an appointment online, have your passport, a valid visa, and a duly completed application form.

[Please note that if you are on a temporary resident visa, it will be mentioned as “HONG KONG IDENTITY CARD” instead of HONG KONG PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD.]

Hong Kong ID card

[Please note that if you are on a temporary

resident visa, it will be mentioned as “HONG KONG IDENTITY CARD” instead of HONG KONG PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD.]

BANK ACCOUNT

One of the greatest advantages of Hong Kong, aside from its low tax rates, is the abundance of banking options available. Most banks provide essential services such as savings accounts, current accounts, payroll accounts, and time deposit accounts. Therefore, it’s important to assess your personal banking needs and preferences when making a choice. The most prominent banks in Hong Kong include HSBC, Citibank, Standard Chartered, Bank of China, and Hang Seng Bank Limited, which unsurprisingly boast the highest number of ATMs and branches throughout the city.

Minimum balance requirements can vary between banks, making this a key factor for new customers to consider. While specific criteria may differ from institution to institution, the general requirements for opening an account are consistent and include:

A valid visa
Your official ID (a passport is also acceptable)
Proof of address (utility bills can suffice)

OCTOPUS CARD

The Octopus card is incredibly convenient for daily life in Hong Kong, as it is widely accepted for shopping, at convenience stores, and across all public transport systems, including MTRs, trams, and buses. This card helps you keep your wallet lightweight and free of coins. You can purchase an Octopus card from any MTR or airport express customer service for HK$50, and you can add value at any MTR station customer service center, automated recharge machine, or convenience store.

Some credit cards, like those from Citibank, offer cards that are linked to an Octopus card, which automatically recharges when the balance falls below acertain level. You can register your card on the Octopus website to manage your card easily and accept bonus points offered by stores, such as Wellcome grocery stores.

Utility Bills:

Once you complete the renting process, you need to ensure that all the utility bills (electricity, water, gas, internet, etc.), if applicable, are transferred to your name. The details are mentioned in the Home Section.

Town Gas

Town Gas supplies cooking gas facilities in major parts of Hong Kong and the Kowloon area.

Electricity

HKelectric has a record of providing a highly reliable electricity supply to Hong Kong and Lamma Islands. Please check the post office in your locality or visit Hong Kong Post Office website for more information.

JOIN A CLUB

Being a truly vast and diverse international hub, Hong Kong offers a wide range of clubs, groups, organizations, and associations for you to join. You can find gender, niche, religion, social issues, and recreational need specific clubs that resonate with your values and standards. Belonging to such groups and being a part of them can make your relocation really smooth. You can get instant connections to all the right people and all the right advice at all the right times.

Useful Resources:

USEFUL RESOURCES:

Hong Kong ID Card

To registration:

https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/contactus/person-registration.html

For information:

https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/hkid/general_info.html

Octopus:

Website: https://www.octopus.com.hk/en/consumer/index.html

Tel: (852) 2266 2222

For household towngas connection

Website: https://www.towngas.com/en/Home