Journalist Group Urges Hong Kong to Protect Press Freedoms After Visa Denials

(HONG KONG) Hong Kong’s refusal to renew a work visa for Bloomberg journalist Rebecca Choong Wilkins has triggered sharp warnings from press groups and renewed questions about how immigration rules are being used in the city.

On August 23, 2025, the Hong Kong Immigration Department denied the renewal of Choong Wilkins’ employment visa after six years reporting on Asia’s government and economy, according to Bloomberg. No reason was given for the visa denial. The case has become a fresh flashpoint in a debate over press freedoms and due process for foreign media in the city.

Reactions from press groups and Bloomberg

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Hong Kong (FCC) said it was “deeply concerned,” urging officials to review the decision quickly and to handle future journalist visas with more transparency and speed.

Press freedom groups including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the denial and linked it to a wider pattern of using visa controls to limit reporting. Bloomberg said it is working “through the appropriate avenues” to resolve the matter and declined to share details.

The Hong Kong Immigration Department repeated its standard line that it does not discuss individual cases, saying each application is judged on its own merits and must meet general employment and immigration requirements. That stance has done little to calm concern among foreign correspondents, who say a lack of reasons creates fear and uncertainty for reporters and editors deciding whether to stay in or move to the city.

Mounting pattern since 2020

This case follows a series of media visa setbacks since the National Security Law took effect in 2020.

• CPJ reports at least eight journalists have had work visas or entry to Hong Kong denied since 2020; RSF cites nine.
• Recent examples include Haze Fan (Bloomberg, 2024) and Louise Delmotte (Associated Press photographer, 2024).
• Japanese journalists Yoshiaki Ogawa and Michiko Kiseki faced similar problems in 2023/24.

While the Immigration Department has published figures on general entry refusals, it does not release detailed statistics about journalist visas. Cases typically become public only when the reporter or employer discloses them.

• In the first nine months of 2024, officials denied entry to about 23,000 people—roughly 0.07% of arrivals—with 85% described as having “suspicious aims.” Authorities did not say how many of those were journalists.

Hong Kong also rolled out a new Advance Passenger Information System in September 2024. Airlines must now send passenger data to immigration officials before takeoff, allowing the government to block boarding for those flagged as “unwelcome.” Permanent residents are exempt. For reporters, especially those traveling on short notice, the system adds another point where entry can be refused with little explanation.

Calls for transparency and due process

The FCC warned the unexplained denial “reinforces widespread concerns about the erosion of press freedom in Hong Kong, which is protected under the Basic Law and the Bill of Rights.” CPJ stated that “arbitrarily denying a journalist’s right to work is against press freedoms that are protected under Hong Kong’s Basic Law,” and called for a transparent mechanism for visa decisions. RSF noted a growing list of affected reporters and warned the trend threatens free reporting.

Those concerns have practical newsroom effects:

• When a Bloomberg journalist or any correspondent cannot get a work visa or a renewal, they must leave the city.
• Teams lose beat knowledge and local relationships built over years.
• Coverage of Hong Kong and the wider region—including mainland China and Southeast Asia—suffers.
• Editors struggle to plan staffing when visa outcomes feel unpredictable.
• Reporters hesitate to move families if employment rights may be withdrawn without explanation.

Legal framework and process issues

Under Hong Kong’s General Employment Policy, journalists need:

• A local employer to sponsor a work visa.
• Relevant qualifications and experience to show the job is a skilled position.

Renewals are usually granted when criteria continue to be met. But applicants and media managers say the process lacks clarity:

• Applicants receive no written explanation when denied.
• There is no formal appeal mechanism for many of these denials.
• Those refused entry at the border can later seek a visa through the Immigration Department, but approval is not guaranteed and the criteria are not disclosed.

Government and immigration officials cite national security and public order to justify tighter controls. However, they have not given specific reasons in individual journalist cases. Pro-Beijing commentators argue foreign media should follow local laws and avoid acts that threaten national security, but the broad definitions leave space for differing interpretations that can chill reporting.

Broader consequences since 2020

Since 2020, Hong Kong has seen:

• Independent newsrooms close.
• Several journalists arrested under the National Security Law.

Before 2020 the city was widely viewed as a regional media hub with open access for foreign correspondents. Press groups say recent visa denial cases mark a sharp departure from that image and deter international outlets weighing Hong Kong as a base.

Bloomberg’s response to Choong Wilkins’ case mirrors how many global news organizations handle sensitive immigration setbacks: they support the reporter, seek answers through official channels, and try to keep coverage going. The difference now, editors say, is the frequency of cases and the lack of clear rules.

The chilling effect is real: reporters are reluctant to take on sensitive topics if their right to live and work in the city depends on a process that gives no reasons.

Practical measures for journalists and newsrooms

For journalists and employers, the following steps can help manage risk while policy questions remain unresolved:

1. Keep complete records of roles, pay, and assignments that show the job fits a skilled position.
2. Build in time for renewals and consider staffing backups if decisions are delayed.
3. Prepare relocation plans for key beats in case a visa is refused without warning.
4. Seek clarification directly from the Immigration Department and document all contacts.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, clear visa criteria and predictable timelines help employers and foreign staff plan work and family life. When decisions arrive without reasons, organizations face higher costs and tougher choices about where to place teams.

The demand for data, timelines, and review mechanisms

The lack of public data remains a core concern. Without official figures or published criteria, even seasoned correspondents struggle to judge risk. Press groups have urged authorities to:

• Set out a mechanism that explains decisions and allows a meaningful review.
• Publish timelines so applicants can plan.
• Provide a channel for employers to address questions with immigration case officers.

So far, these requests remain unanswered.

Officials say they will continue to assess each application on its own merits. That approach, while standard in many places, may not ease worries in a climate where reporters are unsure what counts against them. The Basic Law and the Bill of Rights still say the press should be free, yet the lived experience for foreign correspondents now includes the real chance of a denied application with no explanation and no formal appeal.

International attention and potential outcomes

The international community is paying attention. Foreign governments, media organizations, and press advocates are expected to keep pressure on Hong Kong to meet its own legal promises and international human rights standards. Press freedom groups say they foresee more visa scrutiny in the months ahead, especially for reporters covering sensitive beats.

The outcome of Bloomberg’s efforts to resolve Choong Wilkins’ denial will be closely watched across newsrooms:

• If the decision stands without explanation, editors say it will harden the view that the city is moving away from open reporting.
• If the decision is reversed, some may see it as a case-by-case fix rather than a sign of wider change.

Either way, pressure will continue for a transparent process that explains decisions and offers a path to review.

How to seek official information

For those seeking official guidance or to ask about their own applications, the Hong Kong Immigration Department provides information on employment visas under the General Employment Policy on its website. Readers can consult the department’s official page for policies and contact details at the Hong Kong Immigration Department.

• The site explains general rules but does not include a formal appeal path for denied work visas.
• Most challenges therefore happen through direct contact, employer support, and, at times, public statements.

Final takeaway

In the Choong Wilkins case, the split between international reaction and government silence highlights current tensions in Hong Kong. The FCC, CPJ, and RSF view the decision as part of a broader effort to control information. The government frames tighter screening as a matter of security and order. Between those views sit working reporters who need a stable legal footing to do their jobs.

For now, foreign correspondents in Hong Kong face a simple reality:

• Keep documents tight, plan for surprises, and prepare for long stretches without answers.

In an industry built on deadlines and clear facts, uncertainty around the right to work strikes at the heart of daily reporting. Press groups say the stakes are high—for the journalists who tell Hong Kong’s story, and for a city that once sold itself as an open window on the region.