Settling in
You made it to Hong Kong! You’re here! Your new life is just within reach! And that’s all true, but you also have to start… ugh, adulting. We know, it sucks, it’s confusing, but we’ve summarised it all for you! We’ll take you through the steps of purchasing a SIM card, making your Hong Kong Identity card, getting an Octopus card (wow, there’s a lot of cards, huh?), and opening a bank account.
This section covers:
Getting to CityU from the Airport
There are many ways to get to CityU from the Airport, and the same routes work the other way around as well. Currently, due to COVID-19, you can’t actually use these routes because everyone who enters Hong Kong has to undergo a 21-day quarantine. But, these are still handy to know for the future!
Airport Express ($90 + $4.3)
The Airport Express also has deals for traveling in groups: a group of 2 – HK$140; 3 – HK$190; 4 – HK$220. In addition, the Airport Express offers several benefits to its passengers, such as free in-town check-in service, a free return journey (same day), free MTR connections and free shuttle buses to major hotels in Kowloon and on Hong Kong Island.
The interchange lines are as follows:
- Take the Airport Express from Airport Station and alight at Tsing Yi Station
- Change at Tsing Yi Station to the Tung Chung Line and alight at Lai King Station
- Change at Lai King Station to the Tsuen Wan Line and alight at Prince Edward Station
- Change at Prince Edward Station to the Kwun Tong Line and alight at Kowloon Tong Station
- CityU is 10 minutes away from Kowloon Tong Station on foot
E22 Bus ($18)
- Take the E22 bus (not the A22, E22A, or E22P buses) at the Asia World-Expo Bus Terminus
- Alight at Shek Kip Mei Park Station at Cornwall Street in Kowloon Tong
- The Student Residence at Cornwall Street is right beside the bus stop and the main campus is roughly 10 to 15 minutes on foot
Taxi (around $300)
There’s also an extra fee for each piece of luggage and toll charges for crossing bridges or driving through tunnels.
SIM card
One of the first things you need to get once you land? A SIM card. For all the documents you’re gonna have to make, you’ll need a Hong Kong number. So get one as soon as possible! Hong Kong has lots of providers you can choose from, and they all have their own pros and cons. Let’s take a look at what they have to offer:
CMHK
CMHK is one of the most readily available providers in Hong Kong. Their prepaid and service plan SIM Cards are available all over the city, including MyLink (their app), CMHK’s online and offline shops, convenience stores like 7-11, and even a store at the airport. For prepaid cards, refilling (or, for us Indonesians, isi pulsa) can grant you up to a 30% extra refill bonus! Being so well-established, they have a lot of deals to offer. Like, a lot. We’ve recommended a few and their basic details!
| Name | $78 School 21Mbps Local Service Plan | $198 4G/3G 18GB Local 365-Day Data Prepaid SIM Card | $80 4G/3G Data & Voice Prepaid Card |
| Mobile data | 5GB 21Mbps + Unlimited 128Kbps | 18 GB, valid for 365 days and can be refilled | $68 3GB 7.2Mbps + unlimited 384Kbps, valid for 30 days |
| Voice call time | Unlimited | 1200 local minutes and 300 minutes call to mainland China | $0.1/minute |
| Contract | 12 months/24 months | – | – |
CSL
CSL was the first mobile communications operator in Hong Kong, and has a long history in the city. Like CMHK, they have a lot of different offers that you can choose from. We’ve listed some of their prepaid SIM cards and their basic offers, but they have a lot of other deals worth checking out! These prepaid cards can also be upgraded to a contract plan and you can get up to a 30% bonus when recharging your card!
| Name | $58 Student 4G Prepaid SIM | $180 Local Prepaid SIM Card | $48 Local Prepaid SIM Card |
| Mobile data | $38 for unlimited data at 384Kbps for 30 days | 12GB/365 days + 2GB/365 days on activation | 3GB/30 days |
| Voice call time | $0.1/minute | Unlimited for 30 days, $0.1/minute after | Unlimited for 30 days, $0.12/minute after |
| Roaming Data | Packs available |
Birdie
Compared to the other providers, Birdie is a fairly new contract-free service. They have a lot of cool features, though! Once you subscribe, you can have your SIM card delivered or picked up at Circle K or 759. You don’t have to worry about refills or charges; just manage your monthly data plan and payment using the Birdie mobile app. They also have referral codes and a data transfer feature, which is handy if you know others using Birdie! Here are some of their monthly data plans:
| Name | $160 Student Plan | $120 Student Plan | $70 Basic Plan |
| Mobile data | 11 GB +1-6am unlimited | 7 GB + 1-6am unlimited | 2 GB |
| Voice call time | Unlimited | Unlimited | 2000 Minutes |
| Roaming data | Packs available |
SmarTone
SmarTone is another well-known provider, offering lots of different SIM cards according to your needs. You can check your account details by dialing *111# or via the SmarTone CARE app for easy management. They offer multiple recharge methods, like by recharge voucher, ATM, internet, and more! We’ve listed some of their SIM cards, but they have more to offer. The details we included are based on the basic pack, but you can purchase other packs according to your needs.
| Name | $98 Student 4.5G Basic Plan | $68 Broadband & Voice-Stored Value SIM | $48 Broadband & Voice-Stored Value SIM |
| Mobile data | Unlimited 2Mbps | 2 GB 21Mbps +Unlimited 1 Mbps | Unlimited at $8/hour with a $24 daily cap |
| Voice call time | Unlimited | 2000 minutes | $0.12/minute during peak hours |
| Roaming Data | – | $0.12/KB | – |
| Contract | 24 months | – | – |
Telin
Telin is a popular choice among the Indonesian students of CityU. Why? Well, it’s by Telkomsel, for one. What a familiar sight, huh? Their Kartu As 2in1 prepaid SIM card, which costs $50, gives you two numbers – a Hong Kong number and an Indonesian one. They’re available in every local Indonesian store and Plasa GraPARI, and the refill vouchers are available in both as well as Circle K stores! Calls to Indonesia are cheaper too, and it’s nice to have something familiar accompanying you in Hong Kong. Their refill vouchers come in various values so you can buy them according to your needs. Here are some of the monthly data packs they offer:
| Price | $78 | $47 | $28 |
| Mobile data | 10GB | 5GB | 1GB |
Remember to take the time to research on which you want to go for! Ask your seniors for their experience using these providers so you can decide which one you want to use. Your future self will thank you!
HKID
Next up – HKID. You are required by law to register for an ID card within 30 days of your arrival, so get this done as soon as possible! Also because it’s an experience to actually get your ID within 7 working days. Things just work! It’s weird!
…Ahem. Anyway. Here’s how to make your HKID:
Step 1: Schedule an appointment
You can schedule an appointment through their website within 24 working days. Choose which office you want to go to and at what time slot. The appointment can be made for up to 4 people, so you can make your HKID together with friends! Be sure to take note of your number tag. However, due to COVID-19, some changes might happen unexpectedly. Currently, only 2 offices are open, which are the Hong Kong Registration of Persons Office at Cheung Sha Wan and the Kowloon Registration of Persons Office at Wan Chai. Please check the website before making an appointment and watch for any changes.
Step 2: Prepare all necessary documents
Be sure to prepare the following documents beforehand:
- Valid travel document (passport, student visa, and entry permit)
- Translated birth certificate
If you are under 18, you also have to prepare:
- Identity card issued previously (if any) (KTP and translation)
- Parent or legal guardian’s passport or HKID
- If you have a legal guardian, proof of legal guardianship
For more details on what documents to prepare, check here.
Step 3: Attend the appointment
Go to your chosen office at the selected time. If you’re under 18, then your parent or legal guardian will have to be present too. There, you can show the acknowledgement of your booking to the reception counter. While waiting for your tag number to be called out, you can complete the application form. You can also fill out an e-application in the office or pre-fill the form before your appointment (if you’re over 18, fill in this form; if you’re under 18, fill in this one). Once you’re called, just follow the procedure. Remember to look good – your picture will be taken during the appointment! You’ll receive the acknowledgement of application for an ID.
Step 4: Collect your HKID
Once that’s done, you can collect your HKID after 7 working days (excludes weekends and public holidays). Go back to the office where you did your appointment and follow the procedure. If you’re under 18, then your parent/legal guardian has to collect it. If you can’t collect it in person, you can authorize a representative. Be sure to bring the acknowledgement you received! Once you get your HKID, you’ll have to return it.
Although we’ve tried including everything here, please check the official website before you go – there’s more detail there that will help you. If you’re over 18, you can check this page out. If you’re under 18, go check this page instead. In the current global pandemic, the website is also a good place to check for any changes in the procedure.
Student Octopus
The Octopus Card is a card used for electronic payment. You can use it pretty much everywhere – public transport, restaurants, convenience stores, the list goes on – which makes it essential to Hong Kong life. Luckily, being a full-time student makes you eligible for a Personalised Octopus Card with ‘Student Status’, which gives you perks like a 50% discount on the MTR!
CityU is now eligible for online application, which makes the process a lot easier! We’ll take you through the steps below:
Step 1: Fill in the online application form
Visit this page and open the Online Application system. There, select New Application, fill out your information, and select CityU as your school (remember that CityU is a tertiary institution located in Kowloon). Be sure to have a scan of your SID card ready!
Step 2: Check your email
Once your student status is confirmed, you’ll receive an email confirming your request. Then, a couple days later, you’ll get another email about where you can pick up your Student Octopus card!
Step 3: Collect the Octopus Card
Finally, go to the designated collection point and get your new Octopus! It will be personalized, meaning it will have your name and picture on it. Keep it safe! For first-time applicants, it will be HKD 90, which includes HKD 50 that will be deposited into the card.
For more details, you can visit the official website.
And remember that you have to renew your Student Octopus every year! To renew, just go to the Online Application system and select Renewal Application. Your Student Status will be renewed when you return at the specified date on the form and pay an administration fee of HKD 20. Just follow the same steps as above!
Bank account
After getting your HKID, this is what you want to take care of next. It’ll make it easier for you to pay your tuition and, if you work on-campus, to get your pay.
There are many banks in Hong Kong, but for CityU students, our most convenient options are Hang Seng Bank and HSBC. Hang Seng has a branch right in CityU (next to the library entrance in the Yeung Kin Man Academic Building), while HSBC has a branch in Festival Walk and a larger one at Sham Shui Po.
While different banks may have different procedures, in general, they will ask for the following documents:
- Proof of identification
HKID or passport with student visa and record of entry to Hong Kong.
- Proof of residential address
…a.k.a. your address in Hong Kong. If you live in SR, you can request this from SRO. Otherwise, any bills that have your address in Hong Kong will suffice.
- Proof of permanent address
…or in other words, your Indonesian address. If your admission letter has your address, you can use that. Otherwise, use a translation of your KTP from a sworn translator or request one from KJRI, which will cost $100. If the name on your KTP and passport don’t match, you can request another document from KJRI (this one’s free!) stating that both names are you.
- Proof of student status
You’ll need this to open a student account (if you want to). You can use your SID or admission letter.
Once you have all the documents ready, you can head to your chosen bank and open an account! Be sure to check their website – some banks may require you to schedule an appointment beforehand, while others may allow walk-ins.
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