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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 November 2011, a total of 378 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. In view of the favourable feedback, the Department has provided 10 more Express e-Channels at Lo Wu Control Point since January 2011 and will extend the Express e-Channel service to other control points. To further extend the e-Channel service, frequent visitors can also enjoy e-Channel facilities. With effect from September 7, 2009, the service has been 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 permanent residents can also use the e-Channel service at Macau Ferry Terminal and China Ferry Terminal control points. Macao resident e-Channel service has been extended to Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal since July 6, 2011. There are 18 Macao resident e-Channels installed at these three sea control points. 
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 better clearance service to Mainland frequent visitors, the Department started to provide e-Channel enrolment service to eligible Mainland visitors in December 2011. After successful enrolment, they may use the designated e-Channels at various control points as from January 2012. To provide greater convenience for cross-boundary passengers, 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. Currently, ocean-going vessels and Mainland river or coastal trade vessels benefit under this scheme. With the successful rollout of e-Channels at all control points, the Department has enhanced its performance pledge and increased target passengers by 3 percentage points from 2010. 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 Starting from January 2, 2010, the standard processing time at counter for the registration for Hong Kong identity card was shortened from 90 to 75 minutes. Besides, the bookable period of appointment booking for applications for Hong Kong identity card at registration of persons offices has been extended from 12 to 24 working days with effect from June 21, 2010. Online application for HKSAR passport has been available to eligible applicants aged 18 or above since late 2007. It was further extended to applicants aged 11 to 17 on November 30, 2009.
With effect from November 30, 2009, the Department has 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 applications. These offices include the Travel Document (Issue) Section at the Immigration Headquarters and six Immigration branch offices. 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. Besides, the appointment booking service for applying for HKSAR passport has also been extended from the existing six Immigration branch offices to cover the Travel Documents and Nationality (Application) Section at the Immigration Headquarters.
The normal processing time within the Department for refund in respect of travel document applications is 20 working days. With effect from March 9, 2010, all parents applying for birth registration of their newborn babies have to make prior appointment booking through the Internet or by telephone. The new arrangement facilitates parents to choose their most preferred time-slots for the registration service and be served timely, hence shortening their waiting time. With effect from December 6, 2010, the public may register their outbound travel information through MyGovHK to receive updates on Outbound Travel Alert and related public information from the HKSAR Government. Visas and Permits With effect from May 26, 2010, eligible non-permanent Hong Kong residents may submit their applications for extension of stay online. With effect from July 12, 2010, applications from foreign domestic helpers for extension of stay sponsored by the same employer can be made by post, drop-in, or online. In addition, such applications can be submitted within eight weeks before the expiry of the domestic helper's limit of stay. The number of supporting documents required is further reduced. The Working Holiday Scheme was extended to the Republic of Korea on January 1, 2011. 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 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 September 1, 2011, the period of stay in Hong Kong for holders of "Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents" has been extended from seven days to 30 days. With effect from November 14, 2011, holders of biometric passports of the Republic of Serbia (except holders of Serbian passports issued by the Coordination Directorate in Belgrade) may visit Hong Kong visa-free for a stay up to 14 days. 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 GovHK website www.gov.hk to:
Besides, the public can access the Registration of Outbound Travel Information service through the MyGovHK portal to receive updates on Outbound Travel Alert and related public information from the HKSAR Government.  
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With effect from June 21, 2010, the appointment bookable period for application for travel documents has been extended from 12 to 24 working days to provide greater convenience to appointment makers.
To cope with the long-term business development needs including service enhancement, the Department engaged an external consultant to conduct the third review of Information Systems Strategy (ISS-3) in 2010 for the purpose of formulating an information systems strategy for the next decade. As recommended by the consultant, the Department has started to carry out feasibility studies on the recommended information systems projects by phase starting from 2011 with a view to deciding if the projects are to be implemented.  |
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