Dhaka, May 13 (UNB) - The Hong Kong Immigration Department would extend more facilities to genuine visa applicants from Bangladesh, including the business persons, an official of the Immigration Department said here Thursday.

Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China, cancelled the visa waiver for Bangladeshis in 2006.

Corrado Chow, Assistant Director of the Hong Kong Immigration Department, told reporters at Westin Hotel here that there is no possibility of bringing any change to their visa policy making way
for resumption of the visa waiver for Bangladesh.

In South Asia, only India enjoys visa waiver from Hong Kong.

Replying to a question, Chow said the visa waiver is determined on a number of factors including immigration and security, social and economic status, trade ties and track record of a country.

He said bona fide Bangladeshi applicants with sufficient travel documents can apply for Hong Kong visa. Usually, it takes four weeks to complete the process of granting visa.

Chow said they also issue visa for emergency travel within the shortest possible time.

He said annually 3,500 Bangladeshi applicants seek Hong Kong visa and 80 percent of them receive visa.

Chow said presently 334 Bangladeshis live in Hong Kong as permanent residents and 224 as temporary residents, which means staying less than seven years.

Since 2007, he said, 35 Bangladeshis were deported from Hong Kong and 1100 Bangladeshis are facing cases of overstay or illegal entry.