Transfer of Domestic Helper from Singapore
- Thread starter Merlion
- Start date
rani
Administrator
Merlion,
Do you have a Filipino helper? You need to get the forms from Immigration, complete them submit them to the Filipino Consulate for verification and chop, and then back to Immigration. The process takes 4-6 weeks. You don't need to hire an agency and do it yourself
More info on the Consulate website
http://www.philcongen-hk.com/labor/g8.htm
And Immigration
http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/evfhk.htm
Do you have a Filipino helper? You need to get the forms from Immigration, complete them submit them to the Filipino Consulate for verification and chop, and then back to Immigration. The process takes 4-6 weeks. You don't need to hire an agency and do it yourself
More info on the Consulate website
http://www.philcongen-hk.com/labor/g8.htm
And Immigration
http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/evfhk.htm
Has anyone out there transfered their Filipino helper from Singapore to Hong Kong? If so were you able to bring her with you immediately - how did you go about it? I have been told that before we can start her application process we must have Validated Employment Visa, Proof of Income and Proof of Residential Address along with HKID Card. We are going to apply for our own visas a couple of months before we arrive in Hong Kong, so I assume we will receive our HKID card at that stage. We will be staying in a serviced apartment when we first arrive - does that count as our residential address?
Many thanks in advance for any help anyone can give
Many thanks in advance for any help anyone can give
Millerwhisk
Registered User
We just bought our helper over from Singapore and it was a nightmare. We came for a visit here in May to find a house, collect our visas and apply for our HKID card. We decided to use an agency to bring our helper over as we thought it would be easier. We moved to HK 1 July.
We started the application process for her visa in may but she did not arrive until mid/end of august!
I would personally not do it again. Our helper is great but it was so stressful and there are many great helpers here.
You may have a different experience if you do the paperwork yourself as you then do not have to deal with the agenies who don't seem to know what they are doing.
You have to have your HKID before you can submit your visa application for her. You also need proof of address ie lease and proof of income. She can come in with your for a max of 2 weeks but this is supposedly on a visitors visa so she is not supposed to work - although I know lots of people who have done it. We also had to provide proof that she had been working in singapore for 2 years ie copy of work permits - this was a bit of a nightmare to obtain but we did get it in the end.
Hope this helps
We started the application process for her visa in may but she did not arrive until mid/end of august!
I would personally not do it again. Our helper is great but it was so stressful and there are many great helpers here.
You may have a different experience if you do the paperwork yourself as you then do not have to deal with the agenies who don't seem to know what they are doing.
You have to have your HKID before you can submit your visa application for her. You also need proof of address ie lease and proof of income. She can come in with your for a max of 2 weeks but this is supposedly on a visitors visa so she is not supposed to work - although I know lots of people who have done it. We also had to provide proof that she had been working in singapore for 2 years ie copy of work permits - this was a bit of a nightmare to obtain but we did get it in the end.
Hope this helps
Thanks Rani
Millerwhisk
I had a feeling this was going to be a headache to organise, but I have already had one horror experience with a helper so am happy to try and keep this one.
I assume the helper has to go back to the Philippines when we leave Singapore and wait for the visa to come through. Did you also pay her wages while she was waiting as it seems unfair for her to forego wages.
Which agency did you use ( so I know to avoid it!)? My relocation co has recommended we do use an agency - JC Casa in Admiralty Centre.
Thanks for your help
Millerwhisk
I had a feeling this was going to be a headache to organise, but I have already had one horror experience with a helper so am happy to try and keep this one.
I assume the helper has to go back to the Philippines when we leave Singapore and wait for the visa to come through. Did you also pay her wages while she was waiting as it seems unfair for her to forego wages.
Which agency did you use ( so I know to avoid it!)? My relocation co has recommended we do use an agency - JC Casa in Admiralty Centre.
Thanks for your help
Honkyblues
Registered User
Hi Merlion
I have just moved from Singapore (lah) to HK and we have brought our helper with us. TBH, she's currently here as a visitor as we didn't have time to get our own visas let alone hers. (The move was a quick one - only one month's notice).
The process is quite long and involved (much more so than in Singapore) and we used an agency in HK (who seem quite good) but who also recommended we use an agency in Singapore (who were dreadful - mainly because of communication problems. If you speak Mandarin, you'll be okay).
We now have our employment/dependant visas and will pop to Macau this weekend to validate them. After that, HK Immigration can start working on our helper's employment visa.
If you don't have time to sort the visa out before you get to Singapore, your helper can enter for 14 days as a visitor. But to save the constant journeys to Macau (and the risk she might be turned back by immigration), we went to the China Embassy on Tanglin Rd and got her a 60day visitor visa.
If you need more info, let me know.
cheers
Honkyblues
PS. To any HK immigration officers reading this, then obviously our helper is here purely as my companion and is not currently working.
I have just moved from Singapore (lah) to HK and we have brought our helper with us. TBH, she's currently here as a visitor as we didn't have time to get our own visas let alone hers. (The move was a quick one - only one month's notice).
The process is quite long and involved (much more so than in Singapore) and we used an agency in HK (who seem quite good) but who also recommended we use an agency in Singapore (who were dreadful - mainly because of communication problems. If you speak Mandarin, you'll be okay).
We now have our employment/dependant visas and will pop to Macau this weekend to validate them. After that, HK Immigration can start working on our helper's employment visa.
If you don't have time to sort the visa out before you get to Singapore, your helper can enter for 14 days as a visitor. But to save the constant journeys to Macau (and the risk she might be turned back by immigration), we went to the China Embassy on Tanglin Rd and got her a 60day visitor visa.
If you need more info, let me know.
cheers
Honkyblues
PS. To any HK immigration officers reading this, then obviously our helper is here purely as my companion and is not currently working.
Millerwhisk
Registered User
Hi Merlion
I have replied to your message.
Re agency its not the one that has been recommended to you so if it is on recommendation then I am sure it is ok.
We did continue to pay our helper whilst she is in the philippines but singapore wages not hong kong. We felt it unfair to not pay her anything.
Re Honkyblues post and the helper coming in temporarily.Yes this is possible and I know lots of people who have done it. Technically they are not allowed to work. I was informed that this could jeopardise your chance of getting a visa for your helper. Its personal choice if you want to take the risk. We decided it was'nt worth it for the few weeks we were without her.
Good luck!
I have replied to your message.
Re agency its not the one that has been recommended to you so if it is on recommendation then I am sure it is ok.
We did continue to pay our helper whilst she is in the philippines but singapore wages not hong kong. We felt it unfair to not pay her anything.
Re Honkyblues post and the helper coming in temporarily.Yes this is possible and I know lots of people who have done it. Technically they are not allowed to work. I was informed that this could jeopardise your chance of getting a visa for your helper. Its personal choice if you want to take the risk. We decided it was'nt worth it for the few weeks we were without her.
Good luck!
Transfer of Indonesian Helper from SG
Hi there
I would like to know if we can transfer Indonesian Maid ourselves or do you have a agency to recommend. My husband is already in HK and staying in a service apartment. Can we start to process our helper's visa soon? We plan to bring her over with the rest of us (myself and the kids) around July/ Aug this year.
Many thanks!
Hi there
I would like to know if we can transfer Indonesian Maid ourselves or do you have a agency to recommend. My husband is already in HK and staying in a service apartment. Can we start to process our helper's visa soon? We plan to bring her over with the rest of us (myself and the kids) around July/ Aug this year.
Many thanks!
rani
Administrator
I think you should be able to manage the paperwork yourselves. You can't apply until you've found a proper residence. Paperwork takes 4-6 weeks and your helper cannot be in HK when you apply. A neighbor brought her Indonesian helper with her from Singapore. Immigration asked her to send the helper home and within 2 weeks she received her visa. The whole process took 6 weeks.
Hi Rani
Can I ask if your neighbour is Indonesian or Singaporean? I called the HK Indonesia embassy and they mentioned that my Indonesian maid will require an agent in Jarkata and need to be in Indonesia when we apply the HK visa? I am very puzzled. Also, did your neighbour only send the relevant docs to HK immgration to get her visa?
Sorry for asking some many questions... grateful if you can help me to ask your neighbour...
Thanks in advance!!
Can I ask if your neighbour is Indonesian or Singaporean? I called the HK Indonesia embassy and they mentioned that my Indonesian maid will require an agent in Jarkata and need to be in Indonesia when we apply the HK visa? I am very puzzled. Also, did your neighbour only send the relevant docs to HK immgration to get her visa?
Sorry for asking some many questions... grateful if you can help me to ask your neighbour...
Thanks in advance!!
rani
Administrator
My neighbour is actually Indian. Shortly after the helper arrived from Indoneisa they got transferred back to Singapore, and they have already left. The Indonesian Consulate is known for being the most difficult, and you really need to go down there in person and pray the person at the counter is having a good day. The first step is to get the employment contract chopped and verified by the Consulate. If you can get that done the rest is fairly easy.
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