Nonimmigrant visas: Applications may be submitted Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 11:30 am. F-1 visas during the months of May, June, July and the first half of August are processed only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1:30 to 2:30 pm. H, L and K visas may be processed on the basis of INS telegraphic confirmation. Hong Kong's rules are fairly liberal with respect to treating prior visa denials - there is no limit to the number of times an application can be submitted or how much time must pass between submitting applications. E visa cases must be submitted in advance with a consular informational form and an interview appointment will usually be scheduled within 10 days. L visas are also issued by appointment. The INS will send the visa petition and supporting documents to the consulate and the consulate will then notify the applicant about the interview and request the applicant to present certain documents. The nonimmigrant visa issuance rate is high: 85.3% in the last reported year. Visas are not processed by mail. However, some B-1/B-2 visa applicants may use the consulate's drop box and avoid the personal interview. That option is available to those who have (a) resided in Hong Kong for at least one year, (b) have been issued within the last five years a visa valid for more than one year with an expiration date less than one year old or are a first time applicant over the age of 55 or applicants earning over HK 5,000 or US ,025 per year or who belong organizations such as the American Chamber of Commerce, accounting, architectural, engineering, financial, legal, medical or other societies, may be use the consulate's drop box and avoid the personal interview. The applicant's drop box package should include the applicant's passport, OF-156 application and supporting documents. The applicant should drop the documents between 8:30 am and 11:30 am or 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm and should be able to pick-up the passport with visa stamp by 4:00 the next working day.

Immigrant visas: The Immigrant section is open Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and 1:30 p, to 5:30 pm. Final interviews are normally scheduled within two to three months of submitting the Packet 3. The consulate will process the case on the basis of a cable notice of approval from the INS and an attorney-certified copy of the petition and supporting documents. The consulate issues its own Packet 3 rather than going through the National Visa Center. The following doctors may perform medical examinations for visa applicants:

Drs. Anderson & Partners
16A, United Centre
95 Queensway
Hong Kong 
Tel: (852) 5298666


Drs. Anderson & Partners
Room 608-613
Hong Kong Pacific Centre
28 Hankow Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Tel: (852) 3673011


Dr. Ian H. Nicolson
402B, New World Tower
16 Queen's Road Central
Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 5251251


Dr. King T. Chung
1208 Melbourne Plaza
33 Queen's Road Central
Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 5230612 5251436