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Home > About Us > Performance Pledge > 5. Service Enhancement About Us 5. Service Enhancement 
Immigration Clearance In view of the ever-increasing passenger and vehicular traffic, the Automated Passenger Clearance (APC) and Automated Vehicle Clearance (AVC) systems have been introduced in phases at control points. Both systems provide an advanced information technology solution to the mounting traffic needs at control points by leveraging the smart identity card and the fingerprint recognition technology. Up to December 2009, a total of 371 passenger e-Channels and 80 vehicle e-Channels are installed at all control points. At present, the e-Channel service has been extended further from permanent Hong Kong residents to certain categories of non-permanent residents holding smart identity cards. With effect from March 3, 2009, the Department commenced the pilot scheme on Express e-Channel at the Lo Wu Control Point. Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above who are existing e-Channel users and have successfully enrolled may use the Express e-Channel. Under the Express e-Channel, the users will complete the clearance within 8 seconds and is 30% faster than the general e-Channel. 
To further extend the e-Channel service, frequent visitors can also enjoy e-Channel facilities. With effect from September 7, 2009, the service extended to visitors holding Frequent Flyer Programme Membership Card issued by airlines which have joined this arrangement. At present, there are 10 Frequent Visitor e-Channels installed at Airport Control Point. Starting from December, 10, 2009, successfully enrolled Macao residents can also use the e-Channel service at Macau Ferry Terminal and China Ferry Terminal control points. There are 8 Macao resident e-Channels installed at the two sea ports.  To facilitate cross-boundary students, the number of designated e-Channels at Lo Wu Control Point was increased to six for facilitation. A trial scheme to clear cross-boundary students on board cross-boundary coaches has been introduced at Man Kam To Control Point since March 2008. From August 2009, Sha Tau Kok Control Point also introduced the same trial scheme. To provide greater convenience for cross-boundary passengers, since October 27, 2008, the daily operating hours of the China Ferry Terminal have been extended from 0600 - 2200 hours to 0600 hours - midnight, whereas since July 1, 2009, the daily operating hours of Sha Tau Kok Control Point have been extended from 0700 - 2000 hours to 0700 - 2200 hours. To improve our service at sea, the Pre-arrival Clearance (PAC) Scheme is well received by the vessel operators. Under the scheme, vessels may apply for advanced clearance 24 hours prior to the ship's arrival in Hong Kong. When the application is approved, the vessel may proceed to its berth directly for business activities without having to wait for immigration clearance at the anchorage. In January to October 2009, 96% of the arriving ocean-going vessels and 58% of Mainland river coastal trade vessels benefited under this scheme. To enhance immigration control at sea, mobile functionality of Face Recognition System (FACES) was put into practice in mid-2008 to assist frontline officers to conduct verification of identities flexibly. With the successful rollout of e-Channels at all control points, the Department enhances its performance pledge in 2010 and increases target passengers by 3 percentage points. The new pledge is to clear 98% of residents within 15 minutes at all control points and 95% of visitors within 15 minutes at Airport Control Point or within 30 minutes at other Immigration control points. Personal Documentation The 24-hour appointment booking system for giving of notices of intended marriage has been widely accepted by members of the public since its implementation on December 20, 2001. Persons intending to marry may book appointments for marriage ceremonies through the Internet or the Telephone Appointment Booking System. Since September 21, 2009, the Department has accepted online submissions of information required for registration of marriage of marrying parties who have already made an appointment for giving the notice of intended marriage. The Civil Celebrants of Marriages Scheme has come into operation on March 13, 2006. Parties to an intended marriage may engage a civil celebrant to celebrate their marriages at any time and any place in Hong Kong other than the office of the Registrar or a licensed place of worship. The Department has started to issue smart identity cards since June 23, 2003. The processing time for issuing an identity card has also been reduced from 15 to 10 working days. Effective from April 24, 2006, Registration of Persons - Kowloon Office also accepts HKSAR Document of Identity for Visa Purposes applications which are submitted by One-way Permit entrants together with the application for first registration of a Hong Kong identity card. The applicant will collect the identity card and the Document of Identity for Visa Purposes at the same time. The processing time for the issue of a Document of Identity for Visa Purposes has been shortened from 15 to 10 working days. In addition, starting from January 2, 2010, the standard processing time at counter for the registration for Hong Kong identity card is shortened from 90 to 75 minutes. Since February 5, 2007, the Department has started to issue HKSAR electronic passport and electronic Document of Identity for Visa Purposes which are embedded with a contactless chip that stores the holder's personal data and facial image. The processing time for the issue of a passport has been shortened from 15 to 10 working days. Starting from August 25, 2008, eligible HKSAR passport applicants aged 18 or over can submit HKSAR passport applications through the self-service kiosks at the Immigration Headquarters and six Immigration branch offices. To further enhance our service quality, starting from February 16, 2009, the Department has shortened the processing time for the issue of passport for children under 11 not holding a Hong Kong permanent identity card from 19 to 14 working days.  
Besides, with effect from November 30, 2009, the Department extended its appointment booking service to collection of travel documents. Applicants applying for a travel document are required to choose a collection office upon submission of their application. These offices include the Travel Document (Issue) Section at the Immigration Headquarters and six Immigration branch offices (excluding the Registration of Persons - Kowloon Office). On the day following the date of issue of the Collection Notice, applicants may make an appointment to collect the travel document through the Internet or the Telephone Appointment Booking System. Starting from July 3, 2008, the normal processing time within the Department for refund in respect of travel document applications is 20 working days. Since November 3, 2008, the Department has extended its 24-hour appointment booking service to births registration. Parents of new born babies can book appointments for births registration through the Internet or the Telephone Appointment Booking System. A tag information system has been introduced at major offices of the Headquarters, Registration of Persons Offices, Immigration branch offices and Registries for Registration of Births and Marriages. In these offices, tags are issued to customers from a computer. Information on the queuing situation is shown on the display boards installed at the public waiting halls. Information Systems Strategy
The Application and Investigation Easy System (APPLIES) and Electronic Records Programme have been fully implemented since December 2008. With instant retrieval of digitised records, public services on the registration of births, deaths and marriages; applications relating to visas, permits, travel passes; and nationality matters have been enhanced. Members of the public can access the following e-services via www.gov.hk to:
 
Upon full implementation of electronic services, 'one-stop' service on GovHK website will be possible for many types of applications and the related services will be improved significantly due to synergy effect. Visas and Permits The period of stay in Hong Kong for holders of iPermits or Multiple Entry Permits was extended from 14 days to 30 days on each landing starting from January 1, 2009. The restriction that only two iPermits could be applied for within 30 days was also lifted. With effect from April 27, 2009, holders of 'Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents' may visit Hong Kong up to seven days without the need to possess a valid entry-exit endorsement for the Mainland. With effect from December 10, 2009, eligible Macao permanent residents holding valid Macao smart permanent identity card may visit Hong Kong entry permit-free for not more than 180 days without the need to produce other travel documents or complete the arrival and departure cards. Moreover, those enrolled eligible holders aged 11 or above may also use the e-Channel service upon entering or existing Hong Kong. With effect from March 16, 2009, Capital Investment Entrant Scheme applicants may engage at their own expenses a Certified Public Accountant (Practising) who is a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants to assist them in the preparation of financial reports in support of their applications. The Working Holiday Scheme was extended to Germany and Japan on July 1, 2009 and January 1, 2010 respectively. Participants in the scheme are allowed to stay up to 12 months in the host country/territory for holiday and to take up short-term employment during their stay. |
With a view to delivering its services at a lower cost and in a responsive manner, the Department formulated an updated information systems strategy (ISS) in 2000. The ISS projects, which include e-Channels for passengers and vehicles, have been implemented in phases. Currently, Hong Kong permanent residents, majority of non-permanent Hong Kong residents and cross boundary primary students under the age of 11 are able to enjoy the self-service passenger clearance facilities. Frequent travellers aged 18 or above who are holding valid HKSAR Travel Pass, APEC Business Travel Card with the economy code ' HKG ' or Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) Frequent Visitor Card can also enrol to use the e-Channel service. Starting from September 2009, visitors holding Frequent Flyer Programme Membership Card issued by airlines which have joined this Frequent Visitor e-Channel Scheme can also enjoy self-service immigration clearance at the airport after enrolment. Express e-Channel Pilot Scheme was also launched in March 2009 at Lo Wu Control Point to provide more efficient clearance service. A total of 20 Express e-Channels had been installed.  |
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