The identity card replacement program for Hong Kong citizens has entered the final stage. The Immigration Department has earlier extended the replacement period to March 3 in response to the situation. However, with the relaxation of epidemic prevention measures and customs clearance, many citizens returning to Hong Kong from other places went to the replacement center for processing. . The Immigration Department stated yesterday (1st) that it has increased the appointment quota of each center, and the on-site distribution of tickets is only a discretionary practice. From now on, no applications without appointments will be processed, and the public is urged to make an appointment in advance.
Photo: Photo by Guo Xiaoxin
Chief Immigration Officer (Registration of Personnel) Weng Bixia said yesterday that the number of applications for identity card replacement following customs clearance has increased. Recently, hundreds of citizens have queued up at the card replacement center without an appointment. She clarified that the center has never set up same-day registration. Only at the discretion of the staff. In response to the needs of the public in recent days, the prescription has increased the number of online appointments in each center, and emphasized that applications without appointments will no longer be processed from today. All replacement centers will cease their services from March 4. Weng Bixia pointed out that citizens who fail to make appointments or fail to return to Hong Kong before March 3 can apply at the Personnel Registration Office at that time, and the Immigration Department will consider it depending on the situation. Extend service hours or add counters.
Citizens returning to Hong Kong can apply for card renewal within 30 days
As of the end of last year, the Immigration Department had issued 7.7 million new smart identity cards, of which 6 million were issued through the card replacement programme. Weng Bixia pointed out that even following March 3, the old smart ID card is still valid, and the old card will be gradually declared invalid depending on the progress of the replacement card. She reminded that citizens in other places do not need to rush back to Hong Kong, they only need to apply for a new identity card within 30 days following returning to Hong Kong. If you stay for less than 30 days, you will not violate the law because you have not gone through the relevant procedures.
The only smart identity card replacement center on Hong Kong Island had a “full day full” notice at the gate at 1:00 am yesterday. The staff said that they had just finished distributing the same-day tickets and handed over a leaflet with an appointment phone number and website. A few people went to the center without an appointment to “try their luck”. Ms. Li’s family of four, a Hong Kong native living in the Mainland, just returned to Hong Kong from Shanwei yesterday. They rushed to the center with their luggage before it was full, and successfully processed the application on the same day. She revealed that during the epidemic period, she might not come to Hong Kong to renew her ID card, and the earliest time to make an appointment would have to wait until the 21st of this month, so she decided to go to the center to go through the procedures as soon as she returned to Hong Kong.
Ms. Zheng and her son, who arrived an hour later, “eat ginkgo fruit” and mightn’t make an appointment through the hotline. Ms. Zheng pointed out that a friend said that she might apply for a replacement card on the spot, but when she arrived, it was already full and an appointment was required, and she thought the card replacement arrangement was confusing. Since her son only returned to Hong Kong for a short time and will be returning to study abroad in 5 days, she plans to visit other centers to try to apply on the same day.
Reservations can be made via the mobile app or the phone page
Members of the public can log in to GovHK (www.gov.hk), and you can call the 24-hour appointment service hotline (2121 1234) to make an appointment.
Originally published on AM730 https://www.am730.com.hk/Local/After customs clearance, there is a queue to renew the ID card-Immigration Department-no walk-in applications will be processed from now on/359416?utm_source=yahoorss&utm_medium=referral
