On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Hong Kong LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Hong Kong country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Hong Kong COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Hong Kong.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Hong Kong is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Hong Kong is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or the UN Statelessness Conventions.
Hong Kong has no indepdendent legal framework for the granting of asylum.
Previously, UNHCR has been responsible for legally recognising refugees (this process is called Refugee Status Determination – RSD). This has now stopped, as of 2014, and the UNHCR is now only able to advise and provide support. Currently, UNHCR Sub-Office Hong Kong (“SOHK”) focuses on three key areas: Protection, Comprehensive Solutions and Private Sector Partnerships. SOHK reports to the Office in Beijing and covers both the Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions. They can be contacted here.
Legal aid organisations
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Address: theDesk, G/F, 511 Queens’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3109 7359
Email: info@justicecentre.org.hk
Justice Centre Hong Kong is a not-for-profit, human rights organisation working to protect the rights of Hong Kong’s most vulnerable forced migrants – refugees, other people seeking protection and survivors of modern slavery. Justice Centre Hong Kong is a member of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN).
We can offer information about:
- How to make a claim for protection/asylum in Hong Kong under the Unified Screening Mechanism (USM).
- How to prepare a case; what to do and what to expect during/after an asylum case has been made
- What to do if an asylum claim has been rejected by HK Immigration and/or the Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office.
- Asylum seekers rights in Hong Kong, including rights in relation to immigration, the police, food, housing, health care, education, employment, getting married and having a family.
- Immigration options other than the USM, including dependent visas, voluntary repatriation, immigration to other countries, and leaving Hong Kong.
Organisations providing other support to refugees
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Address: 29 Burrows Street
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3527 6048
Email: info@branchesofhope.org.hk
Branches of Hope is dedicated to ensuring that all vulnerable and marginalised individuals and communities in Hong Kong will have equal access to resources and opportunities that allow them to realise their dreams and gives them a voice in our society. They provide migrant support services including initiatives to stop human trafficking and a Refugee Opportunity and Development program.
Website
Address: 55 Clear Water Bay Road, Choi Wan (2) Estate, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2382 3339
Email: info@christian-action.org.hk
Christian Action was established in 1985 as a Hong Kong registered charitable organisation. They provide a wide variety of support services to refugees in Hong Kong. Learn more on their Social Services & Humanitarian Program: Refugees page.
Website
Address: 5F, 102 First Street, Sai Ying Pun, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 9828 7176
Email: info@vfnow.org
If you are seeking protection in Hong Kong, our organization is aimed at providing the best possible assistance in the moment of your greatest need. They provide a community of like-minded volunteers and experienced refugees to assist with difficult decisions.
Vision First collaborates with the Refugee Union which is a community based society run by refugees who face the same dilemmas you may be dealing with today.
Hong Kong SAR LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong SAR COI
Find Hong Kong Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated May 2023