This Performance Pledge tells you about the standard of service which you can expect from the Immigration Department. It also tells you the steps you can take if you want to make any suggestions or comments on the service you receive or to complain about the way the service has been delivered.
The Immigration Department Users’ Committee, chaired by the Director of Immigration with representatives from various trades and industries concerned, was established in September 1993 to monitor and review the fulfilment of performance pledges; to receive and consider reports on suggestions made by members of the public in regard to performance pledges; to advise the Director of Immigration on service areas which may require improvements; and to help determine the level of resources required to achieve the standards set.
The Committee has reviewed the achievement of targets set in the performance pledges for 2025, covering services delivered at immigration control points; births, deaths and marriage registries; registration of persons offices; and issuing offices of travel documents, visas and permits.
Results of the review show that in 2025, all control points# which provided passenger clearance services were able to meet the Department’s target to clear 98% of Hong Kong residents within a 15-minute waiting time. As for visitors, the Airport Control Point was able to meet the Department’s target to clear 95% of visitors within a 15-minute waiting time. The Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal@, China Ferry Terminal, Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, Express Rail Link West Kowloon, Man Kam To, Lok Ma Chau, Shenzhen Bay, Heung Yuen Wai and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Control Points were also able to meet the Department’s target to clear 95% of visitors within a 30-minute waiting time.
# Passenger clearance services at the Sha Tau Kok Control Point have been suspended since 30 January 2020 to facilitate the redevelopment of the Sha Tau Kok Port.
@ With effect from 1 January 2026, the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal is renamed as the Hong Kong-Macao Ferry Terminal.
Overall, we were able to achieve most of our performance targets for the issue of travel documents and visas/permits.
The performance standards set for handling nationality-related applications, processing registration of births, deaths and marriages and registration of persons were generally achieved.
The performance pledges for 2026 cover the following services:
The Department is committed to providing efficient and courteous service to members of the public while maintaining effective immigration control. The table in this Performance Pledge sets out the standard processing time and due days we aim to achieve for a wide range of services. These standards, however, may not be achievable during certain daily peak hours or peak periods or in complicated cases.
Immigration Clearance
The table below sets out the standard waiting time and targets that the Department aims to achieve.
| Service Type | Standard Waiting Time (Min) | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong Resident - All Immigration Control Points | 15 | 98% of travellers |
| Visitor - Airport Control Point | 15 | 95% of travellers |
| Visitor - Other Immigration Control Points | 30 | 95% of travellers |
Remarks:
These standards may not be achievable during certain daily peak hours or peak periods or in complicated cases.
Nationality Matters
The table below sets out the standard processing time at counter and due days for issue that the Department aims to achieve.
| Service Type | Standard Processing Time at Counter (Min) |
Due Day for Issue (Upon receipt of all necessary documents) |
|---|---|---|
| Declaration of Change of Nationality | 30 | Confirmation letter will be issued on the same day |
| Application for Naturalisation as a Chinese National and Restoration of Chinese Nationality | - | 80% of the applications will be finalised within 3 months |
| Application for Renunciation of Chinese Nationality | - | 80% of the applications will be finalised within 2 months |
Remarks:
Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages
The table below sets out the standard processing time at counter and due days for issue that the Department aims to achieve.
| Service Type | Standard Processing Time at Counter (Min) |
Due Day for Issue (Upon receipt of all necessary documents) |
|---|---|---|
| Birth Registration | 30 | Registration procedure will be completed on the same day |
| Death Registration | 30 | Registration procedure will be completed on the same day |
| Giving of a Notice of Intended Marriage | 30 | Filing procedure will be completed on the same day |
| Search of Birth or Death Records | 10 | 7 working days (Issued within 10 minutes if the birth or death records concerned have been converted into computer records) |
| Issue of a Certified Copy of a Birth or Death Certificate (if search of records is not involved) | 10 | 7 working days (Issued within 10 minutes if the birth or death records concerned have been converted into computer records) |
| Issue of a Certified Copy of a Birth or Death Certificate (if search of records is involved) | 10 | 10 working days (Issued within 10 minutes if the birth or death records concerned have been converted into computer records) |
| Search of Marriage Records and/or Issue of a Certified Copy of a Marriage Certificate | 10 | 7 working days |
| Application for Certificate of Absence of Marriage Record | 10 | 7 working days |
Remarks:
Registration of Persons
The table below sets out the standard processing time at counter and due days for issue that the Department aims to achieve.
| Service Type | Standard Processing Time at Counter (Min) |
Due Day for Issue |
|---|---|---|
| Registration for a Hong Kong Identity Card | 60 | 5 working days |
Remarks:
Travel Documents
The table below sets out the standard processing time at counter and due days for issue that the Department aims to achieve.
| Service Type | Standard Processing Time at Counter (Min) |
Due Day for Issue (Upon receipt of all necessary documents) |
|---|---|---|
| HKSAR Passport | 30 |
|
| HKSAR Document of Identity for Visa Purposes | 30 | 5 working days |
| HKSAR Re-entry Permit | 30 | To be issued on the same day |
| HKSAR Seaman's Identity Book | 30 | To be issued on the same day |
Remarks:
Visas and Permits
The table below sets out the targets that the Department aims to achieve.
| Service Type | Target (Upon receipt of all necessary documents) |
|---|---|
| Entry Visas and Permits for Visit | 100% of the applications will be finalised within 4 weeks |
| Entry Visas and Permits for Employment | 90% of the applications will be finalised within 4 weeks |
| Entry Visas under the Working Holiday Scheme | 100% of the applications will be finalised within 2 weeks |
| Other Entry Visas and Permits | 90% of the applications will be finalised within 6 weeks |
| Entry Permits for Mainland Fisherman Deckhands | 95% of the applications will be finalised within 5 working days |
| Pre-arrival Registration for Taiwan Residents | 100% of the applications will be finalised with results made known to the applicants on the day of application |
| Visit Permits for Taiwan Residents for a Stay of 30 Days | 100% of the applications will be finalised within 2 working days |
| Multiple Entry Permits Issued to Chinese Residents of Taiwan Working, Studying or Residing in Hong Kong | 100% of the applications will be finalised within 5 working days |
| HKSAR Travel Pass | 100% of the applications will be finalised within 3 weeks |
| HKSAR Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode | 95% of the applications will be finalised within 3 months (This standard does not apply to applications involving doubtful claims on parent/child relationship or doubtful information.) |
Remarks:
The performance pledges are published annually. The Director of Immigration and the Users’ Committee meet half-yearly to monitor the performance of the Department in comparison with the pledges made.
In pursuit of continuous enhancement in personal documentation services, a total of 54 new personal documentation kiosks are provided in the new headquarters. Eligible applicants may apply for identity card replacement in a self-service manner and submit their Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passport applications in one go through the Personal Documentation Submission Kiosks. For collection of documents, members of the public may also collect their identity cards and HKSAR passports in a self-service manner through the Personal Documentation Collection Kiosks. The service hours of some of the kiosks have been further extended until 10 pm to enable eligible applicants’ access to the services beyond office hours.
On 31 March 2025, the Department lowered the applicable age for Hong Kong permanent residents holding a smart identity card to use the e Channel service to seven years old. Under the new arrangement, eligible Hong Kong permanent residents aged between 7 and 10, who are at least 1.1 metres tall and hold both a smart identity card and a valid HKSAR passport, may also use the e-Channels for self-service immigration clearance through facial recognition technology at all control points without prior enrolment.
With effect from 26 June 2025, the e-Channel service has also been extended to eligible holders of People’s Republic of China passports. When transiting through Hong Kong to and from another country or territory, they may use the e-Channel service for self-service arrival clearance through facial recognition technology upon arrival without prior enrolment.
In addition, the Department launched the “Face Easy e-Channel” service at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on 30 September 2025. Hong Kong residents aged 11 or above, who have departed Hong Kong using the “Flight Token” service with a valid HKSAR passport, HKSAR Document of Identity for Visa Purposes (Doc/I), Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (commonly known as “Home Visit Permit”) or Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (Non-Chinese Citizens), may perform self-service arrival clearance through facial recognition technology at the “Face Easy e-Channels” using the same document upon their subsequent arrival via the HKIA without prior enrolment.
The Department introduced the “Flight Token e-Channel” service for Hong Kong residents at the HKIA on 25 October 2022 to tie in with the full implementation of the “Flight Token” by the Airport Authority Hong Kong. This initiative aims at providing more convenient departure clearance service for residents. Hong Kong residents aged 11 or above, who choose to use the “Flight Token” service and depart Hong Kong with an HKSAR passport, HKSAR Doc/I, a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (commonly known as “Home Visit Permit”) or Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (Non-Chinese Citizens) (effective from 31 July 2024), are eligible to use the “Flight Token e-Channel” service. When using the “Flight Token e-Channels”, they simply need to face the camera and complete the departure clearance upon successful verification of identity by facial recognition technology. Throughout the entire process, there is no need for them to present any documents.
To enhance the travel convenience of residents and foreign visitors, Hong Kong has implemented the arrangements for mutual use of automated clearance services with Australia, Korea, Germany, Singapore and Thailand. Eligible passport holders of these countries may enrol for the e-Channel service in Hong Kong.
The Department introduced the “Contactless e-Channel” service in December 2021, allowing eligible Hong Kong residents, upon successful identity verification and enrolment through the “iAM Smart” platform, to generate with their personal mobile phones an encrypted QR code for entering the e-Channels, and perform immigration clearance with facial recognition technology. The entire process enables Hong Kong residents to reduce contact with shared equipment, thereby enjoying a faster, more convenient and hygienic immigration clearance service in a self-service manner.
On 19 July 2024, the Department introduced the “Mutual Use of QR Code between HKSAR and Macao SAR Clearance Service” in collaboration with the Public Security Police Force, the Identification Services Bureau, the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau and the Public Security Forces Affairs Bureau of Macao. This initiative aims at providing a faster and more convenient immigration clearance service for eligible Hong Kong residents and Macao residents.
Eligible Hong Kong residents may use the e-Channel QR code generated by the “Contactless e-Channel” mobile application for self-service immigration clearance through the Automated Passenger Clearance Service in the Macao Special Administrative Region. Similarly, eligible Macao residents may also use the QR code generated by the “Macao One Account” mobile application for self-service immigration clearance through the e-Channels in Hong Kong.
The Department started issuing e-Visas for applications for entry visas and extension of stay in late 2021. Applicants may complete the whole process of application submission, payment and visa collection through online services or the “HK Immigration Department” mobile application. The e-Visa service allows applicants to go through the formalities without having to visit our offices, thereby reducing crowd gathering and protecting public health.
Apart from the personal data on the existing visa label, an e-Visa also contains a QR code for anti-forgery purposes, which allows quick scanning of the QR code through the mobile application for authentication of the e-Visa and viewing of the information contained therein when necessary. The QR code is generated by the Department’s encryption key to prevent law-breakers from forging the e-Visas issued by the Department.
Moreover, in late September 2024, the Department further enhanced the electronic payment services, which enabled applicants to make payments through the newly-added Mainland e-wallets.
Apart from allowing eligible Hong Kong residents to use the “iAM Smart” platform for identity verification and enrolment for the “Contactless e-Channel” service, the Department has also included the “e-ME” form filling function of “iAM Smart” in all applicable electronic services to spare members of the public the need for repeated input of personal information when applying online for visas, extension of stay and HKSAR passports, and pre-filling forms for identity card and travel document applications, making the application process simpler and more convenient. To enhance the public’s experience of its caring quality services, the Department introduced the “I-RemindU” Service, a personalised notification service, in January 2023. Through the “iAM Smart” platform, the “I-RemindU” Service promptly reminds registered members of the public when their HKSAR passports or the limit of stay granted under their visas/entry permits for visiting/remaining in Hong Kong are about to expire, so that they can arrange for the early completion of relevant formalities. Furthermore, the Department introduced electronic services for registration of births and deaths in March 2023. In addition to using the “e-ME” form filling function, “iAM Smart+” users can also verify registration information online and sign digitally the relevant forms to complete the registration.
The “HK Immigration Department” mobile application provides a wide range of immigration-related services, including application services, appointment booking, form filling, submission of supplementary documents and information, payment of fees, as well as “e-Visa” enquiry and downloading. Members of the public may also use the mobile application to make enquiries on application status, tag status and the latest information on the estimated passenger waiting time at major land boundary control points. They may even call the 1868 Hotline using network data, submit the Online Assistance Request Form, learn more about the “Contactless e-Channel” service, register for the “I-RemindU” Service, and obtain other information through it. From March 2024 onwards, Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong may also seek assistance from the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit by starting a conversation with the 1868 Chatbot via the mobile application.
The Department has fully implemented electronic services. Members of the public can access a wide range of online services through the Internet or the Department’s mobile applications. In late September 2024, the Department further enhanced the electronic payment services. For online services, applicants can continue to make payments using PPS, FPS and credit cards, as well as through the newly-added Mainland e wallets, including Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay App. For details, please visit the Department’s homepage (www.immd.gov.hk).
Besides, members of the public can access the Registration of Outbound Travel Information service through the “MyGovHK” portal to receive updates on Outbound Travel Alerts and related public information from the HKSAR Government.
At our registries and offices, we have posted notices to set out our performance standards and means of communication with members of the public. We welcome any suggestions or comments on the way in which our services are delivered. Your suggestions or comments should be addressed to the Immigration Department at Administration Tower, Immigration Headquarters, 61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories or e-mailed to enquiry@immd.gov.hk.
There may be occasions when, despite our best efforts, our services fall short of the specified standards. In such cases, you may ask for a full and prompt explanation. If you want our explanation or feel that your case has not been dealt with properly, you may:
Wherever possible, the Department will respond immediately. All complaints, whether written or oral, will be dealt with expeditiously, and an interim reply will be given within 10 days at the latest.
If you feel that your suggestions or comments have not been dealt with properly, you may write to the Director of Immigration at the mailing or e-mail addresses given above.
