16 Jan 2025明報#4433
未獲批簽證 台歷史學者棄中大任教 黃克武被要求補資料 質疑政治審查 入境處：按法律政策處理
Taiwanese historian Huang Ko-wu was invited by the Department of History at The Chinese University of Hong Kong to teach the undergraduate course “Topics in Modern Chinese History: Modern Chinese Thought and Figures”, beginning this month. He said the Hong Kong Immigration Department had recently asked whether he had undertaken related work in mainland China and requested his curriculum vitae, which he considered “political vetting”. Huang told this newspaper yesterday that, while awaiting visa approval, he had already missed the first two classes. After discussing the matter with the department, he decided to withdraw his visa application, and the university temporarily arranged for another teacher to take the course. Huang has travelled to Hong Kong and mainland China several times in recent years for academic exchanges. He said, “I really like Hong Kong; I’m just afraid the Hong Kong government does not welcome me,” and hoped that academic and cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Taiwan could continue.
The Immigration Department told this newspaper yesterday that it did not comment on individual cases and would handle each application in accordance with the law and policy. CUHK confirmed that it had invited Huang Ko-wu to teach the course, but said that because he had not obtained a work visa before the course began, it had been reassigned to Puk Wing-kin, deputy head (internal affairs) of the Department of History. The university declined to comment on details of individual work visa applications.
未獲批簽證 台歷史學者棄中大任教 黃克武被要求補資料 質疑政治審查 入境處：按法律政策處理台灣歷史學者黃克武獲香港中文大學歷史系邀請，原定本月到校任教「中國近代史專題：中國近代思想與人物」本科生課程，稱近日被本港入境處查問他曾否在中國內地擔任相關工作，並索取他的履歷，認為遭「政治審查」。黃克武昨向本報說，候批簽證期間已錯過首兩節課，跟系方商討後，決定撤銷簽證申請，校方亦臨時換人任教。黃近年多次來港或北上學術交流，自言「好鍾意香港，就是怕香港政府不歡迎我」，冀香港與台灣之間的學術文化交流可繼續。
入境處昨回覆本報稱不評論個別個案，會按法律和政策處理每宗申請。中大確認邀黃克武任教課程，但因他未於開課前獲工作簽證，因此改由歷史系副主任（內務）卜永堅任教課程。校方不評論個別工作簽證申請細節。
16 Oct 2024獨媒#4145
【施政報告】「高才」搵工死線獲推遲 首個簽證期限由2年延長至3年
The Top Talent Pass Scheme is regarded as the best route to becoming a “new Hong Konger”, as applications are processed quickly and the entry threshold is low. However, many top-talent applicants discovered after arriving in Hong Kong that finding a job was difficult and living costs were high, and posted negative messages on Xiaohongshu. This year was originally the critical period for the first batch of Top Talent Pass applicants to renew their visas, requiring them to prove that they had employment or had started a business before their visas could be extended. In the Policy Address, Chief Executive John Lee announced what was described as good news: the initial visa validity period under the Top Talent Pass Scheme would be extended from two years to three. In other words, unemployed top-talent applicants would have an additional year to find work.
「高才通」是成為「新香港人」的最佳管道，不但申請快，而且門檻亦低。惟不少「高才」抵港後才發現香港搵工難、生活費高，在「小紅書」發放負面訊息。本來今年是首批「高才通」申請者續簽的「年關」，必須證明自己有工作或創業，簽證才能延期。特首李家超在《施政報告》宣布「佳音」，就是將高才通首個簽證期限，由兩年延長至三年。換言之，遭遇失業的「高才」可以有多一年搵工。
8 Feb 2024獨媒#2964
審批簽證須評國安風險 入境處長不評論美斯是否「不受歡迎」
Immigration Director Kwok Chun-fung held a press conference to review the department’s work over the past year. He said the Immigration Department would fully support and cooperate with the Government, including advancing the legislative work on Article 23 of the Basic Law, and would actively eliminate any national security risks. When assessing visa applications, it would include a national security risk assessment and consider whether an applicant’s background, conduct and remarks constituted a national security risk, to prevent any person who was “undesirable or a threat to national security” from entering Hong Kong. Asked by the media whether Messi, who had faced widespread criticism, might be refused a visa in future for being “undesirable”, Kwok said he understood the public’s dissatisfaction but could not comment on individual cases.
入境處處長郭俊峯舉行記者會總結年度工作，他表示入境處將全力支持和配合政府，包括推展《基本法》第23條立法工作，並會積極排除任何國家安全風險，在審理簽證時加入國家安全風險評估，考慮該人背景及言行是否構成國家安全風險，防止任何「不受歡迎或危害國家安全」的人進入香港。有傳媒問及，被人備受抨擊的美斯，將來申請簽證會否因為「不受歡迎」被拒，郭俊峯表示理解市民不滿，但他不便評論個別個案。
12 Jan 2024獨媒#2805
【台灣大選】黃丹晴網上申簽證一度被拒 解說區會工作及交代在台行程後獲批
Several former pro-democracy councillors’ applications for visas to travel to Taiwan were previously rejected, prompting speculation that this was related to their status as district councillors and their oath-taking. Lemon Tan Ching Wong’s application for a Taiwan entry visa also encountered difficulties. Last spring, he planned to travel to Taiwan, but his online application for an entry permit was rejected, requiring him to pay Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency to apply for a visa. During the process, the Taiwanese authorities asked about his work and itinerary in Taiwan. He said: “I said [the District Council was] a consultative non-governmental organisation, so it had no power to allocate funding or any public power. At that time, I really felt that the District Councils Ordinance was very useful.”
早前有多名前民主派議員申請簽證赴台時被拒，外界質疑與區議員身分及宣誓有關。黃丹晴的入台簽證亦幾經周折，去年春季，他打算到台灣旅遊，惟網上申請入台證被拒，需向台灣移民署付費申請簽證。過程中，台方曾查問其工作內容及在台行程，黃笑言：「我話（區議會是）諮詢性嘅非政權機構，所以冇任何撥款嘅權力，或者公權力嘅，呢個時間真係覺得《區議會條例》十分好用。」
11 Nov 2023獨媒#8633
Blur貝斯手稱不獲准重返香港 樂隊發言人：無申請簽證
British band Blur, currently on tour, had planned to make Hong Kong its final stop, but bassist Alex James recently said they were not allowed to return to Hong Kong, apparently because the Chinese government regarded them as undesirable elements. The Immigration Department said it had “not received any relevant visa application” and that “the dissemination of misleading information is unacceptable and must be condemned”. A Blur spokesperson told online media outlet Hong Kong Free Press that the band had not applied for a visa. The spokesperson added that Blur had been invited to attend a brand event in Hong Kong, but the invitation fell through at an early stage and arrangements for the process had not been discussed.
正舉行巡迴演出的英國樂隊Blur，低音結他手 Alex James 日前表示原打算安排香港作為尾站，惟明顯地因中國政府認為他們是不良分子，他們不獲准重返香港。不過入境處則指「未有接獲有關簽證申請」，並指「散播誤導資訊的行為不能接受及須予譴責」。Blur 的發言人向網媒《Hong Kong Free Press》表示，Blur 沒有申請簽證，又指 Blur 曾獲邀出席香港一個品牌活動，但在早期階段已未能成事，亦沒有討論過流程安排。
12 Apr 2023法庭線#6289
TimOwen來港簽證被拒 黎智英提司法覆核、指國安委越權建議入境處拒批簽證
Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai is charged with “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces”. In October 2022, the Court of First Instance approved his employment of British King’s Counsel Tim Owen to come to Hong Kong to defend him. The Department of Justice appealed, but its appeals were rejected by the Court of Appeal and the Court of Final Appeal. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress subsequently issued an interpretation of Articles 14 and 47 of the National Security Law at the Hong Kong government’s request, stating that a certificate issued by the Chief Executive should first be obtained before an overseas lawyer is hired in a case involving risks to national security. The trial was adjourned until September 2023.
Jimmy Lai filed an application for judicial review in the High Court on Tuesday (the 11th), alleging that after the NPCSC interpretation, the Committee for Safeguarding National Security mistakenly believed it had a “new function”, assessed that Tim Owen’s entry to Hong Kong would pose a national security risk, and recommended that the Immigration Department refuse to issue him a visa. The applicant also alleged that the decision was inconsistent with the committee’s duties and usurped the powers conferred by Article 14 of the National Security Law. It further alleged that the Immigration Department refused the visa solely because of the committee’s decision, and asked the court to quash the relevant order.
壹傳媒創辦人黎智英被控「串謀勾結外國勢力」，2022 年 10 月獲高等法院批准，聘用英國御用大狀 Tim Owen 來港抗辯。律政司不服提上訴，先後被上訴庭、終審法院駁回。全國人大常委會其後應港府提請，就《國安法》第 14 及 47 條釋法，指在危害國安案件批准聘任海外律師前，應先取得特首發出的證明書，案件押至 2023 年 9 月開審。
黎智英周二（11 日）入稟高院提司法覆核，指國安委在人大釋法後，誤解自己有「新功能」，評估 Tim Owen 來港會構成國安風險，建議入境處拒絕向他批出簽證。申請方又指，上述決定與國安委的職責不符、僭越《國安法》第 14 條權力，又指入境處純粹因為國安委的決定，而拒絕批出簽證，要求法庭撤銷相關命令。
13 Nov 2021立場新聞#1683
《經濟學人》駐港記者被拒續簽證 入境處不評論 記協稱無法釋疑、促港府解話
A Hong Kong-based correspondent for the British media outlet The Economist was refused renewal of a work visa by the Immigration Department.
英國傳媒《經濟學人》駐港記者遭入境處拒絕續批工作簽證。
10 Dec 2020Reuters#1043
China revokes visa exemptions for U.S. diplomat passport holders visiting Hong Kong, Macau
China will revoke visa-exemption treatment for US diplomatic passport holders visiting Hong Kong and Macau in response to a new round of sanctions imposed by the US on 7 Dec.
China will revoke visa exemption treatment for US diplomatic passport holders visiting HK & Macau, in response to the new round of sanctons imposed by US on 7 Dec.
8 Dec 2020SCMP#1025
US diplomat summoned by Beijing for formal protest against sanctions on top Chinese lawmakers
China's Foreign Ministry summons a US diplomat in Beijing to formally protest US sanctions against top Chinese lawmakers.
A US diplomat in Beijing is summoned by China's Foreign Ministry for formal protest against US sanction.
3 Dec 2020New York Times#991
U.S. Tightens Visa Rules for Chinese Communist Party Members
The U.S. State Department imposes new visa restrictions on Chinese Communist Party members and their families, who will be allowed only a single entry and a one-month stay. They were previously eligible to apply for tourism or business visas valid for 10 years with unlimited entries.
US State Department imposes new visa restrictions for CCP's members & families, who would only be allowed single entry & 1-month stay. They were previously eligible to apply for tourism/business visas valid for 10 years & for unlimited entries.
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
