Getting Your Hong Kong Documents Ready for Australian Immigration

High Court apostille — authenticating your documents

Hong Kong is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention under its own arrangements, separate from mainland China's accession. The High Court of Hong Kong issues apostilles through its Apostille Service Office.

Where to apply. The Apostille Service Office, High Court Registry (Counter No. 5), LG1/F, High Court Building. The fee is HK$125 per apostille application, payable by cash, EPS, Octopus card, FPS or cheque at the High Court Accounts Office. Processing normally takes two working days (Hong Kong Judiciary, September 2026).

Applying from overseas. If you have already left Hong Kong, a representative in Hong Kong can lodge and collect the document for you, or you can post it with a covering letter and a bank draft in Hong Kong dollars payable to the Government of Hong Kong SAR (HK$125 per apostille). For return by registered air mail add HK$15.50 postage, or arrange a pre-paid courier. Overseas applications generally take two weeks from receipt of all documents.

Which documents can be apostilled? Two categories: public documents bearing the true signature of a recognised Hong Kong SAR Government officer (for example birth and death certificates, marriage certificates signed by the Deputy Registrar of Marriages, certificates of absence of marriage record, business registration certificates and certificates of incorporation), and documents signed by a Hong Kong notary public or Commissioner for Oaths (for example powers of attorney, certified true copies and declarations). For a marriage certificate signed by a civil celebrant or issued by a church or temple, first obtain a certified true copy from the Marriage Registry's Record Office.

The key requirement. Your document must first be signed by a recognised public official or notary public before the High Court will apostille it. A plain photocopy or unsigned document will be rejected.

Do you actually need an apostille? Home Affairs sets the document requirements for each visa, and each skills assessment body sets its own. Check what the body you are applying to asks for before paying for apostilles.

Police clearance — the CNCC

Home Affairs asks for police certificates from the countries you have lived in, depending on how long you lived there; its police certificates page sets out the current rule. For Hong Kong, the certificate is the Certificate of No Criminal Conviction (CNCC) from the Hong Kong Police Force, which is issued only in connection with an application such as a visa.

How to apply. Submit your application through the Hong Kong Police Force Online Applications Platform. You need a request letter from the immigration authority that names you and states that the certificate is required (the Police treat a letter as valid for one year from issue), and the result is sent directly to that authority. The processing fee is HK$311 per person, rising to HK$340 from 12 October 2026. Online applications that meet the Police's listed conditions take 15 calendar days; others can take up to 28 (Hong Kong Police Force, September 2026). Since 1 January 2026, the CNCC Office no longer accepts applications from people outside Hong Kong by post, drop-in box or representative — the online platform is the only option for them.

Fingerprints. Since 30 March 2026, applicants who log in to the Online Applications Platform with iAM Smart, for a purpose not involving a child or a mentally incapacitated person, generally do not need to submit fingerprints. Otherwise, applicants outside Hong Kong supply a full set of fingerprints taken by a law enforcement agency or consulate where they live. Check the Police Force website for the latest requirements when you apply.

Validity. The CNCC carries an issue date but no expiry date; the Hong Kong Police say the validity period is set by the requesting authority. Check how recent Home Affairs needs a police certificate to be, and time your application around it. There is no renewal service — a new certificate means a new application.

If you also lived in mainland China. The Hong Kong CNCC is issued by the Hong Kong Police Force and does not cover time spent on the mainland. If Home Affairs asks for a mainland police certificate, it comes from the mainland authorities, separately.

Health examinations — panel clinics

Australian immigration health examinations must be done by a panel physician approved by Home Affairs. Home Affairs tells you which examinations you need, which depend on the visa and your circumstances, and lists the approved clinics in Hong Kong on its panel physician page. Fees are set by the clinic. For budgeting, see our Hong Kong-to-Australia cost guide.

Identity documents — BN(O) vs HKSAR passports

This is one of the most important decisions for Hong Kong applicants. Many hold both a British National (Overseas) passport and an HKSAR passport.

Which passport to use

The Hong Kong streams of the subclass 189 and the subclass 191 accept either a Hong Kong passport or a BN(O) passport. The 189 Hong Kong stream also requires at least 4 years' holding of a 457, 482 or 485 visa as the primary applicant; the 191 Hong Kong stream requires at least 3 years (Migration Regulations, Schedule 1). A 482 granted to a primary applicant who holds a BN(O) passport, or a Hong Kong passport of a class specified in the regulations, runs for five years, and 485 primary applicants holding either passport can apply up to age 49 rather than 35.

Neither passport qualifies for the passport route to Competent English, which needs citizenship of, and a passport from, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK or the USA; BN(O) status is not British citizenship. Discuss which passport to lodge with a MARA-registered migration agent before applying.

Birth certificates

Birth certificates are among the public documents the High Court's Apostille Service accepts. If yours has no English text, it needs an English translation. If you don't have your original, apply to the issuing registry for a certified copy.

Marriage certificates

Marriage certificates signed by the Deputy Registrar of Marriages can be apostilled directly; for one signed by a civil celebrant or issued by a church or temple, the High Court asks for a certified true copy from the Marriage Registry's Record Office. For partner visa applications, see our list of migration agents who specialise in partner visas.

Educational documents — HK universities and JUPAS transcripts

If your transcripts and degree certificates carry English text, they won't need translating.

University transcripts. Request official transcripts directly from your university's registry. Transcripts should be sealed in the university's official envelope if being posted to an assessment body. Ask the registry whether an English-language version is available.

Sub-degree qualifications. If you completed a Higher Diploma or Associate Degree, provide the certificate and full transcript. Assessment bodies evaluate these against the Australian Qualifications Framework.

Degree certificates. You need certified copies of your degree certificate. If your university offers digital verification, check whether your assessing body accepts it.

Professional qualifications — HKICPA, HKIE, and others

Several Hong Kong professional bodies have established assessment pathways with their Australian counterparts.

Accountants — HKICPA to CPA Australia

If you hold HKICPA membership and are seeking assessment by CPA Australia or Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, check each body's own requirements for overseas members. Prepare certified copies of your HKICPA membership certificate, academic transcripts, and employment references.

Engineers — HKIE to Engineers Australia

Engineers Australia recognises qualifications accredited under the Washington, Sydney and Dublin Accords, provided the degree was completed in or after the year the country became a full signatory, falls within the accredited period, and is fully (not provisionally) accredited. Engineers Australia points applicants to the International Engineering Alliance's qualification checker to confirm this for a Hong Kong programme. An accredited degree is assessed on the relevant Accord pathway.

If your degree is not accredited, or you are nominating an occupation that differs from your qualification, Engineers Australia assesses you through the Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) pathway.

Skills assessments by profession

A skills assessment is required for the points-tested visas (subclasses 189, 190 and 491), and for a 482 where Home Affairs requires one for the occupation. The assessing body depends on your nominated occupation. Each body has its own document requirements.

ACS (Australian Computer Society)

ACS assesses ICT occupations. You need certified copies of your degree certificate and transcript, plus employer references on company letterhead confirming your job title, duties, and dates. Since most Hong Kong qualifications are in English, translation is rarely needed for ACS submissions.

VETASSESS

VETASSESS assesses a wide range of professional, managerial, and trade occupations. Requirements vary by occupation group but generally include certified copies of your qualification, transcript, and employment references.

For eligibility estimates, try the Migratio points calculator or speak with a migration agent who specialises in skilled visas.

Translation requirements

A document that already carries English text doesn't need translating.

When you do need translation. Some older documents, private-sector employment records, or documents issued by smaller organisations may be in Chinese only. If any document submitted to Home Affairs or a skills assessment body is not in English, you need an English translation, and each body sets its own translator requirements.

The NAATI online directory lists certified translators working from Chinese into English. Translation fees are set by each translator.

Common mistakes Hong Kong applicants make

Assuming a BN(O) passport rules you out of the Hong Kong streams. Either a Hong Kong passport or a BN(O) passport meets the passport requirement of the 189 and 191 Hong Kong streams.

Forgetting a separate mainland China police certificate. The Hong Kong CNCC does not cover time on the mainland; if Home Affairs asks for a mainland certificate, it is a separate application.

Applying for the CNCC too early. The CNCC has no expiry date of its own, but Home Affairs decides how recent it must be, and there is no renewal — a new certificate is a new application.

Paying for apostilles nobody asked for. Check the requirements of Home Affairs and your assessing body first.

Not keeping enough certified copies. You may need to submit documents to Home Affairs, your skills assessment body, a professional registration body, and your employer at the same time. Get at least four certified copies of each key document.

Skipping translation for Chinese-only documents. Some older or private documents are in Chinese only. These need an English translation before submission.

Next steps

Documents are one part of a larger process. For help deciding which visa pathway suits you, see our Hong Kong visa options guide. To estimate costs in HKD and AUD, use the visa cost calculator. For what life looks like after you arrive, read our settling in Australia guide.

If you want professional help, Migratio connects you with MARA-registered migration agents who specialise in Hong Kong-to-Australia moves. You can search by visa type or read our guide on how to choose a migration agent. To see where you stand on the points test, try the points calculator.

Related resources

• Hong Kong to Australia — 2026 Overview
• Visa Options for Hong Kong Citizens Moving to Australia
• Cost of Moving to Australia from Hong Kong
• Settling in Australia from Hong Kong
• How to Choose a Migration Agent
• What Is a Skills Assessment?
• Find a Skilled Visa Agent

How do I authenticate Hong Kong documents for Australia?

Hong Kong documents can be apostilled by the Apostille Service Office at the High Court Building. The fee is HK$125 per apostille application, with processing normally within two working days (about two weeks for applications posted from overseas). Documents must first be signed by a notary public or other recognised public official before the High Court will issue an apostille.

Which passport should I submit with my visa application — BN(O) or HKSAR?

For the Hong Kong streams of the subclass 189 and 191, the regulations accept either a Hong Kong passport or a BN(O) passport. Neither passport qualifies for the passport route to Competent English, so English is shown by test either way. Consult a MARA-registered migration agent about which to lodge for your specific application.

How do I get a Hong Kong police clearance?

Apply through the Hong Kong Police Force Online Applications Platform with a request letter from the immigration authority. The processing fee is HK$311 per person (HK$340 from 12 October 2026), and online applications meeting the listed conditions take 15 calendar days. Since 1 January 2026, applicants outside Hong Kong must use the online platform rather than post, drop-in box or a representative.