Contract renewal: How do I process a domestic helper visa without an agency?
For Filipino domestic helpers, you can process the contract renewal by yourselves without an agency. Follow our quick guide below.
For Indonesian domestic helpers, the Indonesian consulate requires the renewal to be processed with an employment agency. You can go directly to our Contract Renewal Services page for more details.
Starting from 20 July 2021, the Hong Kong Immigration implemented the “Smart Renewal” online service for foreign domestic helpers. It is applicable to applications for visas for further employment of foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) submitted online, by post or drop-in box.
What is the Immigration Department’s Smart Renewal Service?
The Smart Renewal Service by the Hong Kong Immigration Department is the online document submission platform for visa application of further employment for foreign domestic helpers.
Through the Smart Renewal Service portal, employers and domestic helpers can submit all the documents needed for only two (2) types of application:
(a) Contract Renewal with the Same Employer
(b) Completion of the Remaining Period of the Current Contract
The Immigration Department remarks that the Smart Renewal Service is only applicable to applications that do not require in-person submission or an interview due to special or individual circumstances.
If you are planning to renew the contract with a domestic helper and unsure if your application is eligible for Smart Renewal Service, we suggest you use the services of Fair Employment Agency to minimize the risks and ensure your peace of mind.
Ask us about our Agency Protection Policy – We offer 50% service fee refund on our Direct Hire services
How to renew the contract with a Filipino domestic helper?
You can submit your contract renewal application no earlier than eight weeks before the expiry of the current domestic helper visa.
There are 2 parts to renewing a domestic helper visa for Filipinos. Steps 1 to 4 refers to processes required at Hong Kong Immigration, while steps 5 and 6 are required at the Migrant Workers Office at the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong.
If you prefer to renew the contract of the Filipino domestic helper by yourself, we strongly recommend that you do it as early as possible and agree on the new contract particulars with the domestic helper to prevent issues later on. The specific items you should discuss:
- Home Leave – Will the domestic helper go home immediately before starting the new contract? Read our FAQs on domestic helper home leave before making a decision.
- Annual Leave – Can domestic helpers receive cash for the unused annual leave? Read our FAQs on domestic helper annual leave and communicate the final salary settlement for the previous contract if the helper prefers to receive it before starting the new contract.
- Sick Leave – How are sick leave days accrued? Read our FAQs on domestic helper sick leave if you are renewing the contract with a domestic helper who is entitled to paid sickness allowance.
- Medical Certificate – Is the medical examination still necessary for contract renewal? Read our article on medical certificate presentation and the tests available in Hong Kong to ensure the domestic helper’s fitness for employment.
The processing timeline at Hong Kong Immigration is from 4 to 6 weeks. If you foresee that you will be traveling outside of Hong Kong and worry about the timeliness of the new visa release, we suggest you use our team of expert consultants and liaison officers to provide excellent service and ensure your peace of mind.
Leave the job to us – Our contract renewal service is available for Filipino, Indonesian, Thai and Sri Lankan workers in Hong Kong
STEP 1: Pick up the contracts and forms
Employers or domestic helpers must pick up the contract and relevant forms from the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
Address:
Foreign Domestic Helpers Section
4/F, Administration Tower, Immigration Headquarters
61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories
STEP 2: Gather supporting documents for submission
- 4 copies of the signed contracts (ID407)
- Immigration forms (ID988A, ID988B)
- Applicants’ HKID, valid passport
- Helper’s visa, landing slip, last contract
- Employer’s residential and financial proof
For more on supporting documents, see this article.
STEP 3: Submit documents to Hong Kong Immigration
If the domestic helper’s limit of stay is between 8 weeks to 10 days:
- Submit the documents online via the Smart Renewal Service Portal
- Drop-in or post to Foreign Domestic Helpers Section, 4/F, Administration Tower, Immigration Headquarters, 61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories
If the domestic helper’s limit of stay is less than 10 days, then you must use the following ways:
- Submit the documents online via the Smart Renewal Service Portal
- Make an appointment or do an in-person follow up of your submission at Hong Kong Immigration Department (Foreign Domestic Helpers Section, 4/F, Administration Tower, Immigration Headquarters, 61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories)
NOTE: These options may not be available to all kinds of contract renewal applications. Please call the Immigration Hotline for General Enquiries or contact an agent for help.
STEP 4: Processing and visa release
Once you have submitted the contract renewal application, you can enquire online about the status of that application here: GovHK: Online Application Status Enquiry (www.gov.hk)
Once the visa is approved, you will receive a “General Demand Note” (GDN) with payment instructions. Settle the fee accordingly.
STEP 5: Employment contract verification at the Philippine Consulate
To ensure the safe return of the domestic helper from the home leave, domestic helpers need to secure a new Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) from the Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong.
Address:
Migrant Workers Office Hong Kong
2902 29/F, United Centre, 95 Queensway, Admiralty
The employment contract must be notarized and successfully verified to keep the employer and helper protected under Hong Kong and Philippine laws. If you find difficulty with any part of the application process, we suggest our contract renewal service to help you take care of everything from start to finish, along with our post-deployment support and client care facilities for 2 years.
Post-deployment support – We process your contracts and partner with you for 2 years
To know more about the Philippine Consulate requirements and download the relevant forms, visit their website here: Verification of Employment Contracts (mwohk-ph.com)
STEP 6: Collect the notarized contracts
Upon payment of the verification fee and OWWA membership, the domestic helper will receive the receipt and a notice of the date when the contract will be released.
Failure to collect on the specified date may risk further delay of contract release.
How to renew the contract with an Indonesian domestic helper?
The Indonesian Consulate (KJRI) requires all domestic helper visa applications to be processed through an employment agency. The agency must submit the contract renewal application no earlier than eight weeks before the expiry of the current domestic helper visa.
The process is different from the Filipino domestic helper contract renewal application, but the timeline at Hong Kong Immigration is the same which takes from 4 to 6 weeks. We suggest you use our team of expert consultants and liaison officers to provide excellent service, quick responses and fast deployment for your peace of mind.
No hidden fees – We promise transparent pricing and professional service
STEP 1: Review the current contract and discuss with the domestic helper if there will be changes.
If you are planning to renew the contract of the Indonesian domestic helper, we strongly recommend that you do it as early as possible and agree on the new contract particulars with the domestic helper to prevent issues later on. The specific items you should discuss:
Home Leave – Will the domestic helper go home immediately before starting the new contract? Read our FAQs on domestic helper home leave before making a decision.
Annual Leave – Can domestic helpers receive cash for the unused annual leave? Read our FAQs on domestic helper annual leave and communicate the final salary settlement for the previous contract if the helper prefers to receive it before starting the new contract.
Sick Leave – How are sick leave days accrued? Read our FAQs on domestic helper sick leave if you are renewing the contract with a domestic helper who is entitled to paid sickness allowance.
STEP 2: Review the medical report of the domestic helper.
The Indonesian Consulate requires domestic helpers to present a medical certificate at the start of every contract. Read our article on medical certificate presentation and the tests available in Hong Kong to ensure the domestic helper’s fitness for employment.
STEP 3: Gather supporting documents for submission.
- 4 copies of the signed contracts (ID407)
- Immigration forms (ID988A, ID988B)
- Applicants’ HKID, valid passport
- Helper’s visa, landing slip, last contract
- Employer’s residential and financial proof
For more on supporting documents, see this article.
STEP 4: Processing timeline and document release.
The contract notarization at the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong will take up to 10 working days after all documents have been submitted.
The visa processing at Hong Kong Immigration will take up to 6 weeks after submitting all documents and signed application forms.
Once approved, the agency will contact both the employer and domestic helper for the release of her submitted documents, including the approved visa and notarized employment contracts.
Where can I find more information?
- Contact the Immigration Department directly for more information on the Foreign Domestic Helper visa process.
- Contact the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) or the Indonesian Consulate directly for more information on contract verification/notarisation.
- Contact us to know more about Fair Employment Agency’s Contract Renewal service.
Last updated on September 12th, 2024
