18 March 2013
The Immigration Department announced today (March 18) that a non-stamping immigration clearance arrangement for visitors will be implemented tomorrow (March 19).
Upon implementation, all arriving visitors at immigration control points will be issued with landing slips in lieu of stamping in their travel documents. Upon departure, no slip will be issued and the travel documents will not be stamped. The landing slip is the same as that currently issued to Macao Smart Permanent Identity Card holders and Taiwan residents travelling under the Pre-arrival Registration arrangement. It bears the visitor's English name, travel document number, arrival date, conditions and limit of stay in Hong Kong. Visitors are advised to keep the landing slip while staying in Hong Kong. If a visitor loses the landing slip, he or she may approach in person the Extension Section at 5/F of Immigration Headquarters and be issued a replacement free of charge. Under normal circumstances, loss of a landing slip will not affect a person's departure clearance.
An Immigration Department spokesman said, "Non-stamping immigration clearance can provide more efficient services to visitors and simplify the immigration clearance procedure to help facilitate the smooth flow of passengers at immigration control points."
For more details on non-stamping immigration clearance for visitors, please visit the Immigration Department's website at www.immd.gov.hk or refer to the related information leaflet.