Population and Immigration | 463
permanent resident status in a foreign country, stateless persons who have obtained permanent resident status in a foreign country with proven re-entry facilities and residents of Taiwan. Successful applicants are required to invest in Hong Kong not less than $6.5 million in real estate or permissible financial assets, i.e. equities, debt securities, certificates of deposits, subordinated debt and other eligible Collective Investment Schemes. As at the end of 2004, a total of 615 applications have been received, of which 291 formal approvals have been granted. Another 120 applicants, having been granted approval-in-principle, would be granted formal approval subject to their investments in the prescribed manner under the scheme. The 291 entrants with formal approval have invested a total of $2,159 million.
Illegal Immigration
The HKSAR is vigilant in guarding against the entry of illegal immigrants. The daily average arrest figure region-wide of Mainland illegal immigrants for 2004 was eight, a 20 per cent drop compared with 10 in 2003. The number of Vietnamese illegal immigrants arrested in 2004 was 164.
The Government maintains close liaison with the Mainland and overseas governments on matters relating to population movements and irregular migration. During the year, representatives from the HKSAR law enforcement agencies participated in the 'Ad Hoc Expert's Working Group II - Identity Management Workshop' held in Bangkok, Thailand in March, the 'Bali Process on Combating People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime Senior Officials' Meeting' held in Brisbane, Australia in June, 'The 10th Pacific Rim Immigration Intelligence Conference' held in Canada in October, 'The 9th Plenary Meeting, Inter-governmental Asia-Pacific Consultations on Refugees, Displaced Persons and Migrants' held in Nadi, Fiji and 'The 18th Seminar on Immigration Control' held in Tokyo, Japan in November.
Emigration
The estimated number of emigrants was 9 800 in 2004.
Personal Documentation
The issue of the HKSAR passport is strictly controlled by the Immigration. Department. Under the HKSAR Passports Ordinance, only Chinese citizens who are Hong Kong permanent residents holding Hong Kong permanent identity cards are eligible for the HKSAR passport. The passport contains advanced anti-forgery design features.
Applications can be made either by post or in person. Those from overseas can be sent to the Immigration Department through the nearest Chinese diplomatic or consular missions. All HKSAR passports are prepared centrally by the Immigration Department in Hong Kong, for collection either locally or at the relevant Chinese diplomatic or consular missions overseas. During the year, the number of HKSAR passport applications received reached a yearly record high of 633 688, including 5 303 from overseas.