Dates Set for Replacement of Smart Identity Cards

The situation

The Immigration Department in Hong Kong has announced that the upcoming replacement of smart identity cards will start on December 27, 2018.

A closer look

• Scope of coverage. All Hong Kong residents age 11 and above are required to register for an identity card, including foreign nationals who are permitted to stay in Hong Kong for more than 180 days.
   
• Replacement cycle. Foreign nationals holding Hong Kong Identity Card (HKIC) will be invited to attend one of the nine newly-established smart identity card replacement centers to replace their card within a specified period according to their year of birth. The replacement exercise will be made over several cycles (phases) during a four-year period as follows:
   

Eligible Persons	Period
Members of the Immigration Service, police officers and labour inspectors	December 27, 2018 - March 30, 2019
Holders of existing HKICs who were born in 1985 or 1986	January 21, 2019 - March 30, 2019
Holders of existing HKICs who were born in 1968 or 1969	April 1, 2019 - June 1, 2019

 

• Other replacement information. No fee will be charged for new smart identity cards issued under the replacement exercise. Elderly and persons with disabilities will benefit from certain conveniences during their replacement exercise.
   
• Applicants for new and replacement cards. In addition to the scheduled replacement above, applicants for new and replacement cards will start receiving the new form of smart HKIC starting November 26, 2018. This covers applications coming from the following persons:
  • Applicants for a juvenile identity card (upon reaching the age of 11);
  • Applicants for an adult identity card (upon reaching the age of 18);
  • New arrivals;
  • Those whose identity cards have been lost, destroyed, damaged or defaced; and
  • Those who wish to amend the information printed on their HKICs.
     
• Improved services through technology. Residents will be able to schedule registration appointments and prefill forms online before visiting the Registration of Persons offices or the replacement centers to save time during the HKIC registration process. The Immigration Department’s mobile application will also provide relevant services starting November 26. Furthermore, self-service registration kiosks and self-service collection kiosks will be introduced to provide more convenient services.
   

Impact

Companies and foreign nationals should be aware of these deadlines and plan their visit to the replacement centers accordingly. Hong Kong residents who are overseas can have their HKIC replaced within 30 days after their return to Hong Kong if they have missed their turn.

Background

The new HKICs feature enhanced security features such as an electronic chip, and a design that protects against forgery and counterfeiting.

Many other countries worldwide offer identity cards with electronic chips that store information about the holder, such as in Austria, Belgium, Finland and Pakistan.

Looking ahead

Fragomen will provide updates when Hong Kong authorities announce additional cycles of the replacement exercise.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].