ENG-2004 — Page 534

464 | Population and Immigration

The HKSAR Passports Appeal Board handles appeals against refusal of applications for HKSAR passports. It received 16 appeals in 2004.

In line with international efforts to enhance the security standards of travel documents, biometric HKSAR passports will be introduced in early 2007 having regard to the specifications recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

During the year, the Immigration Department continued its efforts in visa-free lobbying for HKSAR passport holders. Countries having agreed to grant visa-free access to HKSAR passport holders included Argentine Republic, Turks and Caicos Islands, British Virgin Islands, Japan, Mexico and Uruguay. Kuwait has also agreed to grant visas upon arrival at the country.

By year-end, a total of 133 countries/territories have agreed to grant visa-free access to HKSAR passport holders.

In January, the Director of Immigration signed an immigration cooperation protocol with the Director of the Border Authorities of the General Directorate of the National Police of the Ministry of Interior of the French Republic. The protocol enables the two services to raise the level of cooperation through closer bilateral contacts, experience sharing and intelligence exchanges, and opens the door for greater Hong Kong-France cooperation on immigration fronts.

In September, the Director of Immigration led a delegation to visit Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands. The visit has strengthened the links and cooperation between the Immigration Department and its counterparts in these countries in immigration matters, especially against the global problem of human smuggling. During the visit to Belgium, the delegation attended the first meeting of the Joint European Commission-Hong Kong Readmission Committee in Brussels to discuss. details on the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the European Community on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation.

The Immigration Department will continue to lobby more countries for maximum travel convenience for HKSAR passport holders.

Other travel documents issued by the Immigration Department include Documents of Identity for Visa Purposes (DIs) and Re-entry Permits (REPs). Dls are issued for international travel and are valid for seven years. They are issued to Hong Kong residents who are not eligible for the HKSAR passport but are nevertheless unable to obtain a national passport or travel document of another country. With a view to automating the preparation process and enhancing the international acceptance of the DI, a new Machine-readable DI with enhanced security features was launched on September 1, 2003. REPs are issued to Hong Kong residents for travelling to the Mainland and the Macao SAR. During the year, 32 672 Dls and 101 551 REPS were issued.

The Immigration Department also issues identity cards to Hong Kong residents. There are two types of identity cards: the Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card issued