Publications and Press Releases

27 March 2025

The Immigration Department (ImmD) announced today (March 27) that, with effect from March 31 (Monday), the eligible age for Hong Kong permanent residents holding a smart identity card to use the e-Channel service will be adjusted to seven years old or above.

The ImmD has been making good use of technology and adopting various measures to optimise the service quality and enhance the handling capacity of control points. At present, eligible Hong Kong permanent residents aged 11 or above holding a smart identity card can use the e-Channel service. To further enhance the clearance efficiency of control points and allow more Hong Kong residents to use the fast and convenient e-Channel service, starting from March 31, the ImmD will adjust the applicable age for e-Channel service for holders of smart identity cards. Eligible Hong Kong permanent residents aged seven to ten years old, who are at least 1.1 metres tall and hold a smart identity card and a valid Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport, can use the e-Channels without prior enrolment for self-service immigration clearance via face recognition technology at all control points.

For details of the e-Channel service available to smart identity card holders, please visit the ImmD website (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/mec.html). For enquiries, please call the enquiry hotline at 2824 6111, fax 2877 7711, or send an email to enquiry@immd.gov.hk.