412 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 of China.
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 5 077 disciplined staff and 1 461 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 for stays of between seven and 180 days. The number of people entering and leaving Hong Kong in 2009 nearly topped the 223 million mark, 0.06 per cent up on the previous year. Over 170 million arrived by land, mostly from the Mainland.
An electronic system, e-Channel, is installed at boundary crossings to provide automated clearance for Hong Kong residents. Cross-boundary primary school children under the age of 11 are now also using the service as are vehicles for which e-Channels are provided at vehicular control points. Frequent visitors may apply to use the service which was extended to Macao's permanent residents in December this year.
Legal Immigration
The Mainland is the major contributor to Hong Kong's immigrant population. During the year, about 49 000 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 Hong Kong residents, regardless of their nationalities, have the right of abode in the HKSAR, and may obtain permanent identity cards.
Certificate of Entitlement Scheme
Under Article 24(2)(3) of the Basic Law, people of Chinese nationality born outside Hong Kong of Hong Kong permanent residents are entitled to be permanent residents of the HKSAR with right of abode. The Immigration Ordinance stipulates that in order for a person to qualify for the right of abode under Article 24(2)(3) of
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