406 | Population and Immigration
Immigration Department
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is a separate travel area with autonomy over its immigration policy. In accordance with the Basic Law, the HKSAR Government exercises immigration controls over entry into, stays in and departure from the HKSAR by people from foreign states and regions. The Basic Law also contains provisions regulating the entry of people from the Mainland into the HKSAR.
Apart from upholding immigration control to maintain Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, the Immigration Department provides a wide range of services to local residents, including issuing HKSAR passports and other travel documents, visas and identity cards; handling nationality and residency matters; and registering births, deaths and marriages. The department enhanced these services through the use of advanced information technology to meet growing public demand for quality service more efficiently and in a more timely manner.
The Immigration Department had 5 036 disciplined staff and 1 535 civilian staff at the end of the year.
Immigration Control
Hong Kong welcomes visitors and adopts a liberal visa policy. People from about 170 countries and territories can enter Hong Kong visa-free lasting between seven and 180 days. The number of people entering and leaving Hong Kong in 2008 nearly topped the 223 million mark, 2.3 per cent up on the previous year. Over 166 million people travelled by land, mostly from the Mainland.
The passenger e-Channels have been introduced in phases at all control points since late 2004 for use by eligible Hong Kong residents holding smart identity cards, and were extended to cross-boundary primary school students under the age of 11 in December 2007. Since May 2008, visitors aged 18 or above holding valid HKSAR Travel Passes, Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Business Travel Cards with the economy code 'HKG' or Hong Kong International Airport Frequent Visitor Cards and have enrolled with the department may also enjoy e-Channel facilities. Vehicular e-Channels have also been installed at all vehicular control points to facilitate eligible cross-boundary drivers to make use of smart identity cards for automated clearance.
Legal Immigration
The Mainland is the major contributor to Hong Kong's immigrant population. During the year, about 41 600 Mainlanders joined their families in Hong Kong under the One-way Permit Scheme, which imposes a daily quota of 150.
Right of Abode
Article 24 of the Basic Law states that permanent residents of Hong Kong, regardless of their nationalities, have the right of abode in the HKSAR, and may obtain permanent identity cards.