Frequently Asked Questions

1. Going to the United States
   1. How to apply for visa to travel to the United States?
   2. Where can I find information on migrating to the United States?
2. Custom Information When Entering the United States
3. Tourist Information
   1. Where can I find tourist information?
   2. Can I use my Hong Kong or Macau Driver's License when I visit the United States?
   3. Can I get married while I am in the United States? What do I need?
4. Trade & Investment
   1. What can I find trade and investment figures?
5. Information on Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS)
6. Working for the U.S. Government
   1. How can I get information about working for the U.S. Government?
7. Others
   1. Social and Economic Statistics
   2. How can I file my tax return?
   3. Where can I find information on U.S. holidays?

1. Going to the United States

   1. How to apply for visa to travel to the United States?

      Both Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Visa application information is available from our Consular Section. You can bookmark their page for your future reference:

      • Visa Services

      If you still have questions about the visa process after visiting our web site, you may visit our Visa Inquiries for details.

   2. Where can I find information on migrating to the United States?

      You can find laws and regulations and other important information from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

      If you want to download form for renewing your re-entry permit, you may visit "Application for Travel Document" of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

      If you are going to migrate to the United States and are looking for schools for your kids, you should visit EducationUSA Advising Center.

      See also: Immigrants to the United States, an official source of information about U.S. immigrant visa policy and procedures.

2. Custom Information When Entering the United States

   • CBP Travel Spotlight - U.S. Customs and Border Protection

3. Tourist Information

   1. Where can I find tourist information?

      You can find a lot of tourist information from Geography and Travel page

      • Travel and Geographic Information (Information USA - U.S. Life)

      You can also obtain tourist information from some state trade offices in Hong Kong

      • U.S. States & Ports Association

   2. Can I use my Hong Kong or Macau Driver's License when I visit the United States?

      Visitors who wish to rent cars and drive in the United States must have a valid driver's license from their own country. In some cases, an international driver's license may be required. You can contact individual car rental companies directly for specific information.

      Driver's licenses accepted in the United States are:

      • Any license issued by any US state, territory or possession.
      • A license issued by a Canadian province.
      • A license issued by a country that participated in the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic or the 1943 Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automobile Traffic (Both Hong Kong and Macau are signatories to the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic).
      • A license issued by a country that has a reciprocal agreement with the United States.

   3. Can I get married while I am in the United States? What do I need?

      You can get marriage information from these web pages:

      Nevada - Marriage Licence Information - Marriage Bureau, Las Vegas/Mesquite/Laughlin, Nevada

      • Marriage Licenses - The official website of Clark County, Nevda

      Las Vegas Wedding (by Las Vagas Convention and Visitors Authority)

      • Las Vegas Weddings

      Hawaii

      • About Marriage Licenses (by Hawaii State Department of Health)

      Guam

      • Wedding in Guam (information in Chinese) (by Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) HK Representative)

      Marriage License Information

      • How to get a birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificate - Where to Write for Vital Records

      Or

      call their state trade offices in Hong Kong for information

      • U.S. States & Ports Association

4. Trade & Investment

   1. What can I find trade and investment figures?

      You can find trade and investment figures from our Statistics of the United States page at

      • Statistics of the United States

      Related information is also available from our Agriculture Service and Commercial Service pages.

5. Information on Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS)

   • Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Annotated - U.S. International Trade Commission

   Interested parties can also review the schedule at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Hong Kong located at:
   
   18th Floor, Unit B
   St. John's Building
   33 Garden Road
   Central, Hong Kong
   Tel: 2523-3378
   Fax: 2524-0020
   (Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.; 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.)

   Please note that the Hong Kong office does not provide binding rulings on merchandise classification. For a binding ruling, please send your written request to Office of Regulations and Rulings or National Commodity Specialist Division.

6. Working for the U.S. Government

   1. How can I get information about working for the U.S. Government?

      Careers - U.S. Department of State

      USAJOBS - The Federal Government's Official Jobs Site

      U.S. Military
      Airforce: http://www.airforce.com/
      Navy: http://www.navy.com/navy/careers/
      Army: http://www.goarmy.com/
      Marine: http://www.marines.com/

      U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong

      Facts and Information:

      U.S. Citizens

      • U.S. citizens are authorized to apply for traditional "Foreign Service National" positions and for American part-time, intermittent or temporary (PIT) or Personal Services Contract local hire positions.
      • Current Job Announcements, if any, are posted on this web site with instructions on how to apply along with details on the position and eligibility requirements.
      • To work at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong, a U.S. citizen must already have a work visa or authorization to work in association with spouse's employment in Hong Kong or official residency in Hong Kong.
      • As a U.S. citizen working for the U.S. Government, an employee is required to pay U.S. taxes. The overseas tax exclusion is not applicable.
      • Most, but not all, Foreign Service National positions require fluency in Cantonese.

      Non-U.S. Citizens

      Job Announcements for Foreign Service National positions, if any, are posted on this web site with instructions on how to apply along with details of the position description and eligibility requirements.

      Submitting application to:
      hrohongkong@state.gov
      Human Resources Office

      See Job Announcements for additional details.

7. Others

   1. Social and Economic Statistics

      • Statistics of the United States

   2. How can I file my tax return?

      Please check our American Citizen Services page on taxes

   3. Where can I find information on U.S. holidays?

      We have the federal holidays at:

      • Index Page for links to Federal Holidays Calendars - Office of Personnel Management

Last updated: June 21, 2012