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Population and Immigration
Illegal Immigration
The government keeps a close watch on illegal immigration and liaises closely with the Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies on population movements and irregular migration. In 2020, the city arrested 828 Mainland illegal immigrants and 1,121 non-ethnic- Chinese illegal immigrants.
Personal Documentation
Travel Documents
The department strictly controls the issue of HKSAR passports, granting them only to Hong Kong permanent residents who are Chinese nationals with the right of abode in the HKSAR holding valid Hong Kong permanent identity cards. Since 2019, the department has issued a new generation of e-Passports, incorporating enhanced security features and an integrated chip containing the holder's personal data and facial image, in compliance with the standards specified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Eligible applicants may submit HKSAR passport applications in person, by post, through drop-in boxes, via self-service Travel Document Submission Kiosks or via the GovHK website and the Immigration Department Mobile Application. From 30 October, passport applicants can choose to collect their passports at Chinese diplomatic and consular missions, or at the new Passport Collection Kiosks at the department's headquarters and its West Kowloon office, in addition to the department's existing service counters. Those living on the Mainland may submit their HKSAR passport replacement applications and then collect their passports at the Immigration Divisions of the Beijing Office and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangdong and Wuhan. In 2020, the department received 250,896 HKSAR passport applications, including 4,898 from overseas and 3,552 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 four appeals in 2020.
The department lobbies for greater travel convenience for HKSAR passport holders. In 2020, Kenya agreed to grant visa-on-arrival to HKSAR passport holders, bringing to 167 the number of countries/territories granting visa-free access or visa-on-arrival to HKSAR passport holders.
Other travel documents issued by the department include the Document of Identity for Visal 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 eligible Hong Kong residents to travel to the Mainland and Macao. During the year, 16,181 Doc/Is and 21,756 REPs were issued.
Identity Cards
The department issues identity cards to Hong Kong residents. There are two types: the Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card for residents who have the right of abode in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Identity Card for residents who do not have that right.
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