Holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passports can now enter Nicaragua without a visa for stays of up to 30 days, Hong Kong’s Immigration Department said on July 27.
The department said it had received notification from the government of Nicaragua confirming the exemption, which took effect immediately. A separate visa waiver for HKSAR passport holders travelling to the Solomon Islands, also for stays of up to 30 days, will take effect from August 26.
The arrangements are reciprocal. From August 26, nationals of both Nicaragua and the Solomon Islands will be able to enter Hong Kong visa-free for up to 30 days.
An Immigration Department spokesperson said the exemptions were linked to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, of which both Nicaragua and the Solomon Islands are members. “Under the Belt and Road Initiative, this visa-free arrangement brings greater travel convenience to travellers from Hong Kong, Nicaragua and Solomon Islands, thereby strengthening Hong Kong’s ties with the two countries in tourism, culture and economy,” the spokesperson said.
The move adds two new destinations to the list of countries offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to HKSAR passport holders, which already extends to more than 170 destinations worldwide, according to the Henley Passport Index.
Nicaragua’s own visa policy has expanded broadly in recent months. Under Decree 002-2026, the country exempts nationals from more than 70 countries and territories from visa requirements, including Hong Kong, alongside much of the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, according to VisasNews.