XN000022-1983-11-25 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, FOVEMPER 25, 1983

SEVENTH NEW I.D. CARD PHASE BEGINS DECEMBER

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THE NEW IDENTITY CARD SCHEME WILL ENTER ITS SEVENTH PHASE ON DECEMBER 5, THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY).

DURING THE FIVE-WEEK PERIOD ENDING JANUARY 7, 1984, MEN BORN IN 1955 AND 1954 WILL BE REQUIRED TO APPLY FÖR NEW IDENTITY CARDS.

+THE TOTAL ESTIMATED POPULATION WITHIN THIS AGE BRACKET

IS 111 100,+ A DEPARTMENTAL SPOKESMAN SAID,

+HOWEVER, ONLY 100 600 OUT OF THE ESTIMATED TOTAL ARE EXPECTED TO TURN UP FOR THEIR CARDS. THE REMAINING 9 500. HAVE ALREADY OBTAINED THE IR NEW CARDS EITHER BECAUSE THEIR OLD ONES WERE LOST OR DAMAGED OR BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO AMEND SOME DETAILS ON THEIR OLD CARDS, HE SAID.

WITH THE COMMENCEMENT OF THIS PHASE, AN APPOINTMENT SYSTEM FOR THE PUBLIC WILL BE INTRODUCED.

+THIS ARRANGEMENT IS TO ENABLE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS IN ADVANCE, SO THAT THEY CAN CALL AT THE ISSUE OFFICES AT PRE-ARRANGED TIMES TO EXCHANGE THEIR ID CARDS,+ THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED.

ANYONE WHO IS DUE TO REPLACE HIS CARD CAN USE THIS SYSTEM HE IS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A FORM FROM ANY DISTRICT OFFICES AND IMMIGRATION OFFICES, FILL IT IN AND RETURN IT BY MAIL TO WHICHEVER NEW 1.D. CARD ISSUE OFFICE HE CHOOSES TO GO TO.

+APPOINTMENT TO EXCHANGE ONE'S ID CARD CAN BE MADE BETWEEN 10 AM AND 5.30 PM ON ANY NORMAL WORKING DAY EXCEPT MONDAYS,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID, AND COMPLETED FORMS MUST REACH THE ISSUE OFFICES AT LEAST 10 DAYS BEFORE THE END OF THE PERIOD DURING WHICH HE IS REQUIRED TO EXCHANGE HIS CARD.+

MEANWHILE, THOSE WHO WANT TO APPLY HAVE THEIR OLD CARDS REPLACED DUE TO LOSS OR DAMAGE SHOULD GO TO THE REGULAR ISSUE OFFICES.

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO REMINDED THOSE WHO WILL BE AWAY FROM HONG KONG DURING THE SPECIFIED PERIOD TO APPLY FOR NEW CARDS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE IR RETURN.

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