Sponsor Declaration (Hong Kong)

A Sponsor Declaration in Hong Kong records the information the relevant body requires to process the matter.

The document is typically made as a statutory declaration under the Oaths and Declarations Ordinance (Cap. 11) when the Immigration Department requires formal verification. A statutory declaration made under Cap. 11 before a Commissioner for Oaths — available at law firms, the Immigration Department counter at Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, and the High Court Registry — carries formal legal weight. Section 36 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200) makes it a criminal offence to make a false statutory declaration, with penalties including a fine and imprisonment.

Hong Kong permanent residents holding a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card issued under Section 17A of Cap. 115, as well as persons holding valid employment visas, dependent visas, or other valid immigration permissions, can act as sponsors. Employers sponsoring foreign employees under the General Employment Policy must additionally demonstrate to both the Labour Department and the Immigration Department that no suitably qualified local candidate was available for the position, consistent with the policy objectives of the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) to prioritise local employment.

Section 42 of the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115) makes it a criminal offence to make false representations to an immigration officer. Section 38 of Cap. 115 prohibits assisting a person to obtain entry or remain in Hong Kong by deception. A sponsor who overstates their income, fabricates a family relationship, or provides false financial documents in support of a Sponsor Declaration commits an offence under Cap. 115 and may face prosecution, a fine, or imprisonment. Where the Sponsor Declaration is made as a statutory declaration, a false statement also attracts criminal liability under Section 36 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200) and Section 8 of the Oaths and Declarations Ordinance (Cap. 11).

The Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486), administered by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD), governs the sponsor's collection and disclosure of the applicant's personal data — including passport numbers, income details, and family information — to the Immigration Department. Sponsors should handle this data in accordance with the data protection principles in Schedule 1 of Cap. 486 and should not use the applicant's personal data for any purpose beyond the immigration application. For employer sponsors, the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) requires that any employment information disclosed in the Sponsor Declaration be accurate and not misleading. A Sponsor Declaration prepared through forms-legal.com provides a structured, professionally worded document covering all information the Immigration Department requires, reducing the risk of application delays caused by missing or unclear information, and guiding sponsors through their legal obligations under Cap. 115, Cap. 11, and Cap. 486.

A Sponsor Declaration for Hong Kong Immigration Department is needed in several distinct situations under the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115).

Dependant visa applications: A Hong Kong permanent resident or valid visa holder sponsoring a spouse, unmarried child under 18, or wholly dependent elderly parent must submit a Sponsor Declaration establishing their financial capacity to maintain the family unit without recourse to public funds or Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) administered by the Social Welfare Department.

Visitor visa applications and extensions: Local hosts providing accommodation for visitors from jurisdictions whose nationals require a visa to enter Hong Kong must submit a Sponsor Declaration confirming they will provide accommodation and financial support. Visitors from countries without a visa-free arrangement with Hong Kong under Cap. 115 frequently require a host sponsor declaration as part of the visa application.

Student visa applications: Overseas students enrolling in full-time programmes at University Grants Committee-funded universities — including the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — as well as approved secondary schools require sponsorship from the educational institution or, for minors, from a parent or guardian confirmed in a Sponsor Declaration.

Employment visa applications: The sponsoring Hong Kong employer under the General Employment Policy must confirm the job offer, salary, and inability to find a qualified local candidate after advertising through the Labour Department’s Recruitment Portal. A Sponsor Declaration from the employer’s authorised director or HR officer formalises this commitment.

Domestic helper engagements: Foreign domestic helpers require their employing household in Hong Kong to act as sponsor, with the standard employment contract approved by the Labour Department and a declaration confirming the household’s accommodation and financial capacity. The Immigration Department assesses the employer’s ability to pay the minimum allowable wage set by the Labour Department under the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) — currently HKD 4,990 per month — and requires the employer to provide suitable accommodation in Hong Kong. Failure to comply with the domestic helper employment conditions constitutes a breach of the employment visa terms under Cap. 115 and may result in the Immigration Department revoking the helper’s visa.

Capital Investment Entrant Scheme applicants: Investors applying under the CIES, which requires a minimum investment of HKD 30 million in permissible assets under the revised scheme launched in March 2024, do not require a personal sponsor in the conventional sense, but must demonstrate to the Immigration Department their financial capacity and investment plans through detailed financial declarations akin to a Sponsor Declaration. In all cases, a clear and thorough Sponsor Declaration submitted alongside the required financial evidence significantly improves the likelihood of a favourable outcome from the Immigration Department.

A thorough Sponsor Declaration for Hong Kong immigration purposes should include the following essential elements.

Sponsor’s personal details: Full legal name as shown on the Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card issued under Section 17A of the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115), HKID number, residential address in Hong Kong, occupation, employer name and address, and contact phone number and email.

Sponsor’s immigration status: Confirmation that the sponsor is a Hong Kong permanent resident under Section 2(4) of Cap. 115, or details of the valid visa or entry permit held by the sponsor, including the permit number, type, and expiry date. The Immigration Department requires sponsors to hold a valid immigration status that is not subject to conditions incompatible with the sponsorship.

Applicant’s details: The applicant’s full name as shown on their passport, passport number and country of issue, nationality, date of birth, and current immigration status in Hong Kong if already present.

Relationship documentation: The nature of the relationship between the sponsor and applicant — spouse, parent, child, employer, or educational institution — with reference to the supporting evidence enclosed, such as a marriage certificate authenticated under the Evidence Ordinance (Cap. 8), a birth certificate, or an employment contract.

Visa scheme reference: Identification of the specific Immigration Department scheme for which sponsorship is provided — Dependant Visa, Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, General Employment Policy, Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, Top Talent Pass Scheme, or other — with the application reference number if already assigned by the Immigration Department.

Financial capacity: Monthly employment income in HKD supported by the three most recent payslips or an employer’s letter, savings and liquid assets supported by three to six months of bank statements, Hong Kong property ownership with reference to the Land Registry title, and any other assets. The declaration should confirm the sponsor can support both their own household and the applicant without recourse to the Social Welfare Department’s Comprehensive Social Security Assistance scheme.

Specific support committed: The accommodation address in Hong Kong where the applicant will reside, monthly living expenses commitment, school fees for student applicants, medical insurance coverage, and any other specific financial support. For employer sponsors, the position offered, salary, and commencement date should be stated.

Declaration of truth: A statement that all information is true and accurate to the best of the sponsor’s knowledge, with acknowledgment that providing false information is an offence under Section 42 of the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115) and may result in criminal prosecution. Where the Sponsor Declaration is made as a statutory declaration, the declaration of truth must be sworn before a Commissioner for Oaths under the Oaths and Declarations Ordinance (Cap. 11).

Date and signature: The date of the declaration and the sponsor’s signature. For statutory declarations, the Commissioner for Oaths’ signature, stamp, and capacity must also appear under the Oaths and Declarations Ordinance (Cap. 11). The date of the declaration should be within three months of the immigration application submission date to confirm currency.

Personal data consent: A statement confirming that the applicant has consented to the sponsor disclosing their personal data — including passport details, income information, and family circumstances — to the Immigration Department under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486). The sponsor should retain a copy of the completed declaration and all supporting documents for at least two years after the application is determined, in case the Immigration Department requests verification.

Supporting documents schedule: A list of all documents enclosed with the Sponsor Declaration — HKID copy, payslips, bank statements, property documents, marriage or birth certificates authenticated under the Evidence Ordinance (Cap. 8), and any employer letters. A complete enclosure list reduces the risk of the Immigration Department returning the application as incomplete. Forms-legal.com guides sponsors through each field with practical prompts consistent with Immigration Department requirements under Cap. 115 and the data protection obligations under Cap. 486.