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Population and Immigration
53 per cent less than in 2015; and 1,148 non-ethnic Chinese illegal immigrants excluding Vietnamese, 26 per cent less than in 2015. The department maintains close liaison with the Mainland and overseas governments on matters relating to population movements and irregular migration.
Personal Documentation
Travel Documents
The department issues HKSAR electronic passports (HKSAR e-Passports), embedded with a contactless integrated chip containing the holder's personal data and facial image as the biometric identifiers in accordance with the standards specified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The department strictly controls the issue of HKSAR passports, granting them only to Hong Kong permanent residents who are Chinese citizens with the right of abode in the HKSAR holding valid Hong Kong permanent identity cards.
Eligible applicants aged 11 or above may submit HKSAR passport applications in person, by post, through drop-in boxes or round the clock via the GovHK website. Applicants aged 18 or above may also submit applications via self-service kiosks at the six Immigration Branch Offices, while those aged 11 or above may use the self-service kiosk at the Immigration headquarters. People living overseas may submit their applications through the nearest Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Missions. From 7 November 2016, applicants on the Mainland may submit their HKSAR passport replacement applications and then collect their passports through the Immigration Divisions of the Beijing Office and the three Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangdong. During 2016, the department received 708,357 HKSAR passport applications, including 6,549 from overseas and 291 from the Mainland.
The HKSAR Passports Appeal Board handles appeals against decisions about the issue, validity period, amendment or cancellation of a passport. It received five appeals in 2016.
The department continued lobbying for greater immigration convenience, including visa-free access for HKSAR passport holders. In 2016, Saint-Barthelemy and Saint-Martin (French Overseas Territories) agreed to grant visa-free access to HKSAR passport holders, while Comoros, Mauritania and Madagascar agreed to grant visa-on-arrival access. By the year end, 157 countries and territories had granted visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to HKSAR passport holders.
Other travel documents issued by the department include the Document of Identity for Visa Purposes (Doc/l) and the Re-entry Permit (REP). The Doc/l is issued for international travel to Hong Kong residents who are not eligible for the HKSAR passport and are unable to obtain a passport or travel document of any other country or territory. The REP is issued to Hong Kong residents to travel to the Mainland and Macao. In 2016, 66,660 Doc/ls and 101,074 REPs were issued.
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