We will be the foremost immigration service in the world in effectiveness and efficiency.
Our Mission
We will safeguard national security and contribute to the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong by:
exercising effective immigration control to facilitate the visit of genuine travellers and keep out undesirables
providing practicable assistance to Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong
guarding against terrorist activities, and preventing and detecting immigration-related crimes
issuing to residents highly secure identity cards and travel documents
providing efficient services for registration of persons and civil registration for births, deaths and marriages
providing immigration facilitation to attract talent
We will provide quality service without discrimination and treat each member of the public with respect, consideration and compassion, irrespective of disability, sex, marital status, pregnancy, family status, race, nationality and religion.
Our Values
Patriotism and Perseverance With our love for our motherland and Hong Kong, we will remain steadfast in performing our duty to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. We will uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, bear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, be dedicated to our duties and be responsible to the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Integrity and Impartiality We will faithfully apply our policies and practices with impartiality and honesty, and will uphold our high standards of integrity at all times.
Courtesy and Compassion We will treat each member of the public with respect, consideration, courtesy and compassion. We will be empathetic, appreciative of different perspectives and flexible in the application of policies to meet specific needs.
Care and Cohesion We will adopt people-based management to care for our staff's need and development, enhance communication, cultivate harmony and trust, and build a professional team with high morale and cohesiveness to serve the public.
Alertness and Awareness We will remain sensitive to ever-changing social, economic and political environment, assimilate trends and realign our business strategies and operational procedures to meet new challenges.
Improvement and Illumination We will continuously strive for excellence in whatever we do and seek to be the role-model for other immigration services worldwide.
Preface
This booklet 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.
1. Review on Achievement of Targets Set for 2021
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 fulfillment 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 2021, covering services delivered at immigration control points; births, deaths and marriage registries; registration of persons offices; Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres (SIDCCs); and issuing offices of travel documents, visas and permits.
Results of the review show that in 2021, except those control points where passenger clearance services needed to be suspended in response to the developments of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, 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 Shenzhen Bay 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.
Overall, we were able to achieve most of our performance targets for the issue of travel documents and entry 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.
# In response to the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has suspended passenger clearance services at most of the control points in phases with effect from the end of January 2020. The details are as follows:
Express Rail Link West Kowloon, Hung Hom, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok and China Ferry Terminal (with effect from 30 January 2020)﹔
Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, Lok Ma Chau and Macau Ferry Terminal (with effect from 4 February 2020);
Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal (passenger clearance services have been suspended with effect from 30 January 2020 and cross-boundary passenger ferry services ceased formally on 8 June 2021); and
Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (passenger clearance services were suspended with effect from the afternoon of 5 February 2020 and have resumed for Hong Kong residents with effect from 30 July 2021 due to the resumption of “cruise-to-nowhere” itineraries).
The table below sets out the standard processing time at counter and due day for issue that the Department aims to achieve.
Please Select:
Service Type
Standard Processing Time at counter (Min)
Due Day for Issue (Upon receipt of all necessary documents)
HKSAR Passport
30
First application for, or replacement of HKSAR Passport : 5 working days
Application for HKSAR Passport for children under 11 not holding a Hong Kong permanent identity card : 10 working days
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:
This standard does not apply to applications involving doubtful claims of Chinese nationality, uncertain claims of custodial rights over applicants under 18, and travel document application due to loss, damage or amendment of personal particulars.
Working days denote Monday to Friday excluding general holidays.
These standards may not be achievable during certain daily peak hours or peak periods or in complicated cases.
Applicants will be advised, if necessary, of the time to wait before their applications are processed.
The table below sets out the target 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 Permits under the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals
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 HK
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:
Working days denote Monday to Friday excluding general holidays.
These standards may not be achievable during certain daily peak hours or peak periods or in complicated cases.
3. Performance Standards and Targets
The Department is committed to providing efficient and courteous service to members of the public while at the same time maintaining effective immigration control. The table at the back of the Performance Pledge booklet sets out the standard processing times and due dates 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.
4. Effective Monitoring
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.
The Tuen Mun Regional Office at the Tuen Mun Siu Lun Government Complex commenced operation on 1 March 2021 to provide one-stop service for the public.
In addition to the services of births and marriage registration, the new office also provides services for handling applications for HKSAR travel documents, extension of stay and identity cards. It is also equipped with self-service kiosks. Local residents can enjoy the above services at the new office without having to travel to other districts. The new office also provides one-stop service. For instance, parents registering the birth of their newborn babies may choose to apply for HKSAR travel documents for them at the same time. Besides, an applicant only needs to fill in one application form to apply for an identity card and an HKSAR travel document at the same time.
In view of the widespread use of smartphones and network data calls, the Department has further utilised information technology to meet different needs of the public. In order to facilitate Hong Kong residents in distress or in need of assistance outside Hong Kong to seek assistance from the Department, a new function has been added to the Immigration Department Mobile Application with effect from 31 March 2021, which enables Hong Kong residents to call our AHU’s 24-hour 1868 Hotline for assistance using network data. To enjoy the new function, members of the public simply need to download or update to the latest version of the Immigration Department Mobile Application.
To provide greater convenience to members of the public, the Department plans to adopt “iAM Smart” in various electronic services, including the introduction of the “e-ME” form filling function on 29 June 2021 to spare Hong Kong residents the need to input the same information when applying online for an HKSAR passport and pre-filling forms for identity card and travel documents applications, making the application process simpler and more convenient.
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 submission of applications, payment and collection of visas through online services or the 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 the quick scanning of the QR code through the Immigration Department Mobile Application for authentication of the e-Visa and the 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.
In view of the increased public health awareness among members of the public amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department introduced in late 2021 the contactless e-Channel employing facial recognition technology for eligible Hong Kong residents to minimise their physical contact with shared equipment, while providing them with faster, more convenient and more hygienic self-service immigration clearance service.
The Department introduced the “Smart Renewal” Service on 5 March 2021 and extended its scope on 20 July 2021 to allow persons who submit their applications online, by post or by drop-in box for visas for further employment of foreign domestic helpers to, upon approval of their applications, pay the visa fees through various means and collect the visas by post. Except under special or individual circumstances, there is no need to attend an office of the Department for going through the formalities, which is both convenient and time-saving.
The Department launched the Replacement Exercise on 27 December 2018 to replace in phases the existing smart identity cards for Hong Kong residents at nine SIDCCs set up across the territory. In order to provide more convenient and efficient services for the public, the Department has made good use of technology in this Replacement Exercise to allow members of the public to make appointments and fill in forms in advance through the Immigration Department Mobile Application or the Internet. Self-service registration kiosks and self-service collection kiosks are also available at the SIDCCs so that members of the public may choose to make registration and collect their identity cards in a self-service manner. Compared with the last Replacement Exercise, the registration processing time at the SIDCCs has been reduced from 60 minutes to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the processing time for the issuance of a new smart identity card has also been shortened from 10 working days to 7 working days.
The on-site identity card replacement service was introduced on 3 May 2019 to provide on-site identity card replacement and delivery services in phases for over one thousand residential care homes for the elderly and persons with disabilities (PWDs) throughout the territory. Further to the introduction of the caring measure on 21 January 2019 to allow applicants to bring along family members or friends aged 65 or above for identity card replacement during the same visit, the Department has extended the caring measure to include PWDs since 18 February 2020, so that applicants may bring along two elderly persons and two PWDs to the SIDCCs for identity card replacement during the same visit.
To provide further travel convenience for residents and visitors, Hong Kong has implemented the arrangement for mutual use of automated clearance services with Australia, Korea, Germany, Singapore and Thailand. Their eligible passport holders can enrol for the e-Channel service in Hong Kong.
The Department has launched an official YouTube channel, “Hong Kong Immigration Department”, to give the public access to information on the services and activities of the Department anytime and anywhere.
Video clips uploaded to the channel are grouped under three categories, namely “Easy Access”, “About Us” and “Departmental Activities”. Under the “Easy Access” category, the Department has produced a series of videos which feature services most commonly used by the public and their respective application requirements and procedures. For the other two categories, short videos introducing our work and activities have been uploaded, offering another avenue for the public to know more about our work.
The Immigration Department Mobile Application provides a wide range of immigration-related services including application submission, appointment booking, form filling, submission of supplementary documents and information, and making enquiries on application status, tag status and the latest information on the estimated passenger waiting time at major land boundary control points. With effect from March 2021, Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong may seek assistance from the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit (AHU) by calling the 1868 Hotline via the mobile application using network data.
Members of the public and other users can access the following e-services via GovHK website (www.gov.hk) to:
apply for search and a copy of a birth/death/marriage certificate
make appointments for birth registration and submit information required for registration of birth
make appointments for giving notice of intended marriage and submit information required for registration of marriage
apply for a Certificate of Absence of Marriage Record
make appointments for application for or replacement of a Hong Kong smart identity card and prefill the application form
change/cancel or enquire about appointments for application for a Hong Kong smart identity card
apply for verification of eligibility for a permanent identity card and submit supplementary documents
change/enquire about appointments for document verification relating to application for verification of eligibility for a permanent identity card
enquire about the status of application relating to verification of eligibility for a permanent identity card
apply for an HKSAR Passport (for holders of a valid Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card/Acknowledgement of Application for a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card (ROP140/140A))
make appointments for application for or replacement of an HKSAR Passport and prefill the application form
make appointments for application for an HKSAR travel document
make appointments for collection of an HKSAR Passport or a Document of Identity
for Visa Purposes
make appointments for application for extension of stay (except visitors and certain application types)
apply for extension of stay and submit supplementary documents (except certain application types)
apply for an entry visa under the Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents
apply for a visa/permit under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates
apply for an entry visa for a new foreign domestic helper
enquire about the status of application for a visa/permit
file notification of pre-mature termination of an employment contract of a foreign domestic helper
report immigration offences
apply for and enquire about pre-arrival registration
apply for access to information of the Immigration Department
Besides, 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.
6. Suggestions and Comments
At our registries and offices, we have posted notices to set out our performance standards and channels of communication with members of the public. We welcome any suggestions or comments on the way in which our services are delivered. These should be addressed to Immigration Department at Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong or sent by e-mail at enquiry@immd.gov.hk.
There will 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 such an explanation or if you feel that your case has not been dealt with adequately, you may:
raise it on the spot to the officer-in-charge;
telephone our Customer Services Unit during office hours on 2829 4141 or 2829 4142 ; or
write to Chief Immigration Officer (Management Audit)
by mail at Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong ;
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 adequately, you may write to the Director of Immigration at the mailing or e-mail addresses given above.
7. Enquires and Website
Further information on our services can be obtained through:
enquiry hotline: 2824 6111;
mail: Information and Liaison Section, Immigration Department, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong;
