Consular Affairs

In accordance with Article 13 of the Basic Law, the Central People’s Government shall be responsible for the foreign affairs relating to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). It also states that the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (OCMFA) is established in Hong Kong to deal with the foreign affairs. Furthermore, the Central People’s Government authorises the HKSAR to conduct relevant external affairs on its own in accordance with the Basic Law. Under the above framework, the Protocol Division represents the Government of the HKSAR to provide the host government services to the consulates and the Officially Recognised Bodies in the HKSAR. We have also maintained close liaison with the OCMFA on matters related to the consular affairs.

As at 1.1.2024 , there are 62 Consulates-General, 51 Honorary Consulates and 8 Officially Recognised Bodies in the HKSAR. Please click here for the full list.

Consulates-General and Honorary Consulates

The Consulates-General and the Honorary Consulates are the official representation of the foreign states in the HKSAR. The Consulates-General are headed by career consular officers, who are accredited by the sending states to the HKSAR. Some states, instead of sending officials from their own countries, will appoint local people as Honorary Consuls to represent them. The consulates headed by Honorary Consuls are called the Honorary Consulates. For more details of the consulates, please click here or use the search function below.

Officially Recognised Bodies

Apart from these consular missions, 8 international organisations have set up offices in the HKSAR with the consent of the Central People's Government. They are collectively named as Officially Recognised Bodies, which include -

• AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre
• Bank for International Settlements -- Representative Office for Asia and the Pacific
• Hague Conference on Private International Law - Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP)
• International Finance Corporation Regional Office for East Asia and Pacific and the World Bank Private Sector Development Office for East Asia and Pacific
• International Monetary Fund -- Hong Kong SAR Sub-Office
• International Organization for Mediation Preparatory Office
• Office of the European Union to Hong Kong
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Sub-Office

Conventions, ordinances and agreements

In accordance with Article 157 of the Basic Law, the establishment of consulates and the Officially Recognised Bodies shall require the approval of the Central People’s Government. Furthermore, the framework of relations with these consulates and the Officially Recognised Bodies, as well as their set up in the HKSAR are governed by relevant conventions, ordinances and agreements.

The Central People's Government has concluded bilateral agreements with a number of foreign governments concerning the latter's consular missions in the HKSAR. Currently, 13 bilateral agreements have been gazetted. The full text of these agreements are provided on the website of the Department of Justice.

The Central People's Government has also entered into agreements and arrangements with six international organisations concerning the establishment of offices in HKSAR, i.e. the Officially Recognised Bodies. The full text of these agreements/arrangements are available on the website of the Department of Justice.