When travelling outside Hong Kong it's best to be prepared. Here you can learn about HKSAR travel documents and visa-free access, points to note when planning your trip and for departure, and where to go for help while you are away.

Before leaving Hong Kong you will need a valid travel document, usually an HKSAR passport or Document of Identity for Visa Purposes (Doc/I). Both of these documents are now issued with embedded contactless chips that contain the holder's personal data and photograph. If you have a travel plan but do not have a valid travel document, please apply early.

• More on HKSAR Passport and Doc/I
  http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/traveldoc/index.htm

Over 130 countries or territories have granted visa-free access or visa-on-arrival to HKSAR passport holders. If your destination is not among these countries or territories, you should contact the relevant consulates or the travel agency to ascertain the visa requirements for your visit.

• Countries/territories that have granted visa-free access or visa-on-arrival to HKSAR passport holders
  http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/traveldoc/hksarpassport/visafreeaccess.htm

Whether you are planning your trip for pleasure, business or to work outside Hong Kong, there are a few points you should note. If you are planning to work outside Hong Kong, the Interactive Employment Service of the Labour Department provides information on working in the Mainland and Macau, and the working holiday scheme with Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany and Japan.

• More on working outside Hong Kong
  http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/employment/working/index.htm

If you are joining a package tour or a group tour, you should do the following to ensure that you are entitled to the protection under the Travel Industry Compensation Fund (TICF):

• Buy the package tour from a licensed travel agent;
  
• Join a group tour organised by a licensed travel agent;
  
• Make sure that you obtain a franked receipt from the travel agent for the package tour / group tour showing levy payment equalling to 0.15% of the tour fare you have paid immediately after settling the payment;
  
• Leave the original franked receipt at home or with a relative and carry a photocopy of it with you when you travel;
  
• You are also advised to take out travel insurance which suits your own needs.

• More on protection under the TICF
  http://www.ticf.org.hk/
• Information from the Consumer Council on package tours (available in Chinese only)
  http://www.consumer.org.hk/website/ws_chi/shopping_tips/services/traveltour.html
• Information from the Consumer Council on airline ticket purchases (available in Chinese only)
  http://www.consumer.org.hk/website/ws_chi/shopping_tips/services/airticket.html
• Tips for travelling
  http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/topical_5.htm

Useful information is also available from the Travel Health Service of the Department of Health on travel health risks at specific destinations, health related entry requirements, useful health advice on illness prevention, safety issues in different environmental settings, vaccinations, etc.

• Travel Health Service
  http://www.travelhealth.gov.hk/eindex.html

As a final point to consider, the Hong Kong Observatory provides information on its website about the weather in major Chinese and world cities, so you can make the most of your time there.

• World city weather
  http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/world_climat_e.htm
• Chinese city weather
  http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/worldwx/ci.htm

You can depart from a number of immigration control points which have performance pledges for clearing 95% of residents within 15 minutes of waiting time, and 92% of visitors within 15 minutes at the Airport, as well as 92% of visitors within 30 minutes at all other control points.

If you access a control point by a private vehicle, the Transport Department offers a Strategic Route Map on its website so you can plan ahead. You can use the map to find out the Route and Exit number along your journey including destination like various “control points”. If you are travelling away from Hong Kong through the Airport, the Airport Authority website offers general information on departures, a list of goods you cannot take with you, and flight information for all commercial airlines.

• More on control points
  http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/control/index.htm
• Transport Department's Strategic Route Map
  http://www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/hk_strategic_route_and_exit_number_system/index.html
• More on transportation to the airport
  http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/transport/index.html
• Airport departure information
  http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/passenger/departure/all/check-in-departure/airport-check-in.html
• Items that you cannot take on a flight
  http://www.cad.gov.hk/english/for_travellers.html
• Flight information
  http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/flightinfo/chkfltarr.html

When you are outside Hong Kong, you may need assistance in the case of an emergency. If an unfortunate situation takes place in the Mainland, you may contact the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit (AHU) of the Immigration Department, the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing, or the Economic and Trade Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Guangdong. If you need to seek assistance in places other than Mainland China, you may contact AHU or Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Missions in that state.

• General information on emergency assistance outside Hong Kong
  http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/outsidehk/index.htm
• List of Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Missions
  http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/embassy.htm