Passport stickers to disappear as Hong Kong’s Immigration Department rolls out first phase of ‘e-visas’
- City’s first ‘e-visas’ will be issued next Tuesday to improve efficiency and reduce human contact during the Covid-19 pandemic
- Domestic helpers and non-local graduates first to receive digitised label with new QR code for Immigration Department app
Hong Kong’s first “e-visas” will be issued from next Tuesday, as the Immigration Department rolls out a new online application process, with non-local graduates and foreign domestic helpers being among the first to benefit.
All visas are expected to be digitised by the second half of 2022, with eligible individuals able to apply, collect and pay for them online. Applicants will have the option to submit forms on the department’s website or mobile application, as well as the GovHK website.
While applicants can still choose to mail in their application forms, visas will be issued as PDF documents and sent to the applicant’s provided email address from December 28 onwards, replacing the existing label stickers for passports.
Visa-holders will still need to present their visas at immigration checkpoints.
The new document will look similar to its physical predecessor but will include an encrypted QR code that can only be read by the department’s app. Visa-holders and their employers can use the app’s internal camera function to scan the code and retrieve their information.
The new arrangements will be open to foreign domestic workers and non-local graduates, as well as individuals enrolling in the “Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents”. The three visa groups collectively account for around 80 per cent of all applications, according to the department.
The new online submission system will also be available to all visa-holders applying for an extension of stay.
