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Settling in

Settling in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of the fastest cities in the world to settle into, as long as you follow the order of the steps: each family member's visa, the Hong Kong identity card within thirty days, the Octopus card, the bank account, then housing, chosen around the school bus. Here is what we would have liked to know before arriving, checked against official sources.

Verified on 31 October 2026

Arrival and first steps

The partner's and children's visa is attached to that of the working parent, and it carries the right to work and study. Once you are here, the Hong Kong identity card (HKID) is the key to everything: public healthcare, banking, library, school.

Good to know

  • The spouse and unmarried children under 18 of an employment visa holder apply for a dependant visa: you must prove the family relationship, suitable accommodation and means 'well above the subsistence level'. Processing normally takes six weeks. Source
  • Dependants of an employee may work without further permission, and all children may attend school, international or government, without a separate student visa. Source
  • Anyone aged 11 or over permitted to stay more than 180 days must apply for a Hong Kong identity card within 30 days of arrival, by appointment (online or via the Immigration app); it is free, and children under 11 are not required to register. Source
  • Registration with the French consular register is not compulsory but strongly recommended: free, valid 5 years, done online on service-public.fr, it eases every consular procedure (passports, school grants, elections, emergencies). Source
  • Your first thirty days, in order: HKID appointment for every family member aged 11 or over, an Octopus card for everyone, a bank account (allow for a branch visit), registration with the consulate, then the MCHC for little ones and the library. Source
  • Hong Kong Accueil runs a free information session for newcomers and publishes an arrival checklist; its Friday café at Pacific Place is the first date to put in the diary. Source

Addresses

  • Consulat général de France à Hong Kong et Macao

    Consulate

    Admiralty Centre, Tower II, 25/F-26/F, 18 Harcourt Road, Central

    MTR Admiralty, exit A. Services for French nationals every morning Monday to Friday 8:30 to 12:30 and Wednesday afternoon 14:00 to 16:30; closed under typhoon signal 8 or black rain. General questions go through the Service France Consulaire, reachable at local call rates.

    Website Source

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Housing: neighbourhoods and renting

French families follow the four campuses of the Lycée Victor-Segalen: Happy Valley and Jardine's Lookout, Chai Wan and Tseung Kwan O. Others choose the island's south side for the beaches, or Discovery Bay and Sai Kung for space. Flats are small and leases very standardised.

Good to know

  • The standard lease runs two years with a break clause usually after 12 months: check that it is clearly exercisable, with a precise notice period. The deposit is two months' rent, plus one month in advance, and agency fees run from half a month to one month, often split with the landlord. Source
  • Unfurnished is the norm for a long-term lease; clarify before signing who pays the building management fees and government rates, sometimes included, sometimes not. Source
  • The lease must be stamped with the Inland Revenue: stamp duty on a one-to-three-year lease is a small fraction of the annual rent, and the law does not say who pays, the parties usually split it equally. Source
  • Flats are much smaller than in France and two flats on the same street can differ completely: visit, and take a dated photo inventory on moving in, most disputes arise at move-out over fair wear and tear. Source
  • The school bus is the norm: before choosing a neighbourhood, check the ride to your children's campus and the commute of whoever is working. Hong Kong Accueil puts you in touch with neighbourhood contacts who know every corner. Source

Addresses

  • Happy Valley et Jardine's Lookout

    Neighbourhood

    The French village: two Lycée campuses (Blue Pool Road and Jardine's Lookout), the racecourse to run and play, everything on foot, tram and bus to Central; no MTR, and the neighbouring hospital has no A&E.

    Source

  • Mid-Levels et Central

    Neighbourhood

    The compromise between centrality and a residential setting: the Mid-Levels escalators, the consulate, French-speaking clinics and the zoological gardens nearby; small, pricey flats, ideal without a car.

    Source

  • Pok Fu Lam et Kennedy Town

    Neighbourhood

    The island's west: Kennedy Town, on the MTR since 2014, with its harbourfront promenade and cafés, and greener Pok Fu Lam, near Queen Mary Hospital and the university. Lively and slightly out of the way.

    Source

  • Stanley, Repulse Bay et le sud de l'île

    Neighbourhood

    A holiday feel twenty minutes from the centre: beaches and trails on foot, village life in Stanley, independent children; the Lycée is twenty to thirty minutes by bus. Among the highest rents in town.

    Source

  • Tseung Kwan O et Clear Water Bay

    Neighbourhood

    The 'little French Town' of the New Territories: Lycée campus right in the centre, French kindergartens (Lou Pichoun, Les Petits Lascars), cycle paths, a seafront promenade, Clear Water Bay beach; new towers, gentler rents.

    Source

  • Sai Kung

    Neighbourhood

    Hong Kong's 'back garden': village houses, beaches, Geopark hikes and boats; more space and quiet, at the cost of a longer commute to the island.

    Source

  • Discovery Bay et Lantau

    Neighbourhood

    A car-free resort twenty-five minutes by ferry from Central: beach, golf buggies, a very family-oriented and international feel; Tung Chung, more practical and cheaper, next to the airport.

    Source

  • Kowloon Tong et Ho Man Tin

    Neighbourhood

    The family choice on the Kowloon side: residential districts, roomier flats, several international schools and the train to Shenzhen.

    Source

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Phone and insurance

Your phone is sorted in ten minutes. As for insurance, nothing is compulsory for a family, but health cover is non-negotiable, and hiring a domestic helper makes you an employer.

Good to know

  • For the phone, a prepaid SIM is bought at a convenience store and activated in minutes; a contract plan requires the HKID card and an address. The big operators cover the MTR and the hiking trails.
  • No health insurance is required by law, but there is no universal cover for expatriates: the employer's or an international plan is essential, and it is what opens comfortable access to private care. Source
  • Employing a domestic helper means a visa she applies for from Immigration, a standard two-year contract, a salary at least equal to the government minimum, a minimum household income, and the duty to house her in your home: you become an employer, with the insurance that entails. Source

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Banking and money

A bank account has to be earned: a branch visit, paperwork and some patience. Day to day, the Octopus card and instant FPS transfers do the rest.

Good to know

  • To open an account, a bank asks for proof of identity (HKID card or passport) and a residential address, sometimes with proof; each bank has its own list, and the monetary authority advises comparing several. Source
  • Opening usually requires a branch appointment and takes time: start in your first week, with your employment contract and lease, and ask for the debit card straight away. Source
  • Until your local account is open, your French bank card covers the first purchases, within the limits set by your bank. Wise's multi-currency card is not offered to Hong Kong residents. Source
  • Day to day, the Octopus card, physical or on your phone, pays for transport and many small shops. Between individuals and at many merchants, the FPS system moves money instantly, 24 hours a day, in Hong Kong dollars or renminbi, using just a mobile number or email address. Source
  • Keep at least one account in France, useful for bills and refunds, and tell your bank before you leave: it switches to non-resident status, and some products such as the LEP savings account must be closed. Ask about the conditions it applies to non-residents. Source

Addresses

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Getting set up

Four large IKEA stores, including Causeway Bay and Kowloon Bay, supermarkets on every corner and Carousell for second-hand: enough to furnish a flat in a week.

Addresses

Getting around with children

MTR, buses, tram, ferries, minibuses and taxis: everything is paid with the Octopus card, and children travel half price. A car is an unnecessary luxury for most families; the French licence, however, is exchanged without a test.

Good to know

  • The Octopus card is the arrival 'must have': it pays for the MTR, buses, ferries, the tram, and even the supermarket and the school canteen. Get one per family member from day one. Source
  • On the MTR, concessionary tickets and Octopus are for children aged 3 to 11; from 12, a child pays the full adult fare with a single ticket, and needs the personalised Student Octopus to keep the discount. Source
  • Student Octopus status is applied for online through the MTR Student Travel Scheme, with the school; the application can be lodged from age 11 so that the discount applies on the 12th birthday. Source
  • Pushchair: the MTR is air-conditioned and accessible, but packed at rush hour and on the escalators; in town, favour a baby carrier and a compact buggy, and keep the big one for seafront promenades. Taxis take folded buggies at no extra charge.
  • France is on the list of places whose licence is exchanged without a test: a French licence obtained during a period of at least six months' residence in France, or held for at least five years, qualifies for a full Hong Kong licence (car, motorcycle), by online appointment, with form TD63A, your passport and proof of address. Source
  • A visitor may drive on a French or international licence for the 12 months after entry; anyone taking up residence applies for the exchange without delay. Cars remain rare among families: very expensive parking, school buses, taxis and minibuses everywhere. Source

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Admin: HKID, taxes and the consulate

No social security number and no tax deducted at source: the HKID card serves as your identifier everywhere, income tax is declared once a year and paid after the assessment, and the consulate remains your town hall and prefecture.

Good to know

  • The HKID card is free for new arrivals and compulsory from age 11; it gives the resident rate in public hospitals, free access to Maternal and Child Health Centres, the library card, and serves as ID for the bank and school. Source
  • The tax year runs from 1 April to 31 March and every employee working in Hong Kong pays salaries tax; the employer withholds nothing, you receive a return (BIR60) then an assessment to pay, with a provisional payment for the following year. Source
  • Tax is calculated at progressive rates, from 2% to 17% by band, or at the standard rate if lower; allowances include a basic allowance, a married person's allowance and a child allowance, claimed on the return. Source
  • Compulsory retirement saving goes through the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF), a savings account fed by employer and employee at each payday; contributions are deductible from salaries tax. Source
  • What the consulate does: passports and ID cards, civil status, the consular register, means-tested school grants for French children at the AEFE-accredited Lycée, elections, social assistance and, in case of illness, referral to an approved doctor. Source
  • What it does not do: Hong Kong visas (Immigration Department), pay a hospital or hotel bill, repatriate you at the State's expense except in exceptional cases, intervene in a court case, or stand in for your insurer or your bank. Source
  • A child born in Hong Kong is declared to the consulate for registration in the French civil records; since June 2022, French nationals born abroad have a social security number, useful on return. Source

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Budget: what costs more, what costs less

Two items crush a family budget in Hong Kong: housing and school. On the other side, low taxes, very cheap transport and public healthcare, and affordable home help rebalance the scales. No precise figures, but here are the orders of magnitude.

Good to know

  • Housing: markedly more expensive, for much smaller flats. Rent is by far the biggest item, and it climbs further in the family districts (Happy Valley, the south side, Mid-Levels); Tseung Kwan O, Tung Chung and Kowloon offer more space for the same budget. Source
  • School: there is no free French school. The Lycée Victor-Segalen and the international schools charge fees, sometimes with debentures or entry levies; our school fees page details the official amounts. The consulate's AEFE grants lighten the bill subject to means. Source
  • Health: public care is very cheap with the HKID card (flat fees per consultation, A&E visit and day, with an annual cap), private care costs ten times more per consultation and has no ceiling; insurance decides your comfort. Source
  • Taxes: markedly cheaper. Salaries tax is progressive from 2% to 17%, capped by a standard rate, with no VAT or household local taxes comparable to France; retirement comes down to the MPF contribution. Source
  • Transport: much cheaper. MTR, buses, tram and ferries cost a fraction of French prices, children aged 3 to 11 pay half, and a car-free family saves parking, insurance and garaging. Source
  • Daily life: a full-time live-in helper costs a fraction of childcare in France and changes working parents' lives. Imported groceries (cheese, wine, organic products) are expensive, local markets and canteens very affordable; public museums are free on Wednesdays, beaches and hikes free all year. Source

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A place has closed, something has changed? Tell us: the mums of Hong Kong will thank you.

Sources for this page

The public pages these landmarks come from. The official website always prevails.

  1. 1 Consulat général de France à Hong Kong et Macao
  2. 2 Consulat général, inscription au registre des Français
  3. 3 Immigration Department, visa de dependant
  4. 4 Immigration Department, carte d'identité hongkongaise
  5. 5 MTR, billets et tarifs réduits
  6. 6 GovHK, taux de l'impôt sur le revenu
  7. 7 lepetitjournal.com Hong Kong, se loger à Hong Kong
  8. 8 HKMA, ouvrir un compte bancaire

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Verified addresses, official sources, school-year dates: we write when the Hong Kong guide changes, never more than once a week.

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