ENG-2009 — Page 496

416 Population and Immigration

nationality, 1 295 applications for naturalisation as Chinese nationals, 76 applications for renunciation of Chinese nationality and nine applications for restoration of Chinese nationality.

Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Outside Hong Kong

The Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit (AHU) of the Immigration Department works closely with the Security Bureau, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR, Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in overseas countries, the Office of the HKSAR Government in Beijing, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong and other government departments to provide practical assistance to Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong. During the year, 1 519 such requests were handled.

The Outbound Travel Alert System was launched on October 20, 2009 to help people better understand the risk to personal safety in travelling to 60 destinations that are popular to Hong Kong travellers. The system uses three coloured codes: Amber, Red and Black, to differentiate the levels of risk.

The Immigration Department has strengthened the staff training and equipment of the AHU and is improving the '1868' hotline services for enhancing the assistance to Hong Kong residents overseas. In addition, a new service will be introduced for Hong Kong residents to provide the AHU via the internet with details of their itinerary and contacts. The proposed enhancements will be implemented in phases. starting from 2010.

Marriages

Marriage registration in Hong Kong is governed by the Marriage Ordinance. All marriages contracted under the ordinance involve the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. There is no residential or nationality requirement for marrying parties but neither of them can be under the age of 16.

The Registrar of Marriages should be given at least 15 days' notice of an intended marriage, which must then take place within three months of the notice. Other than solemnising the marriages at one of the five marriage registries or any of the 259 licensed places of public worship, couples may engage a civil celebrant to celebrate their marriage at any place in Hong Kong. In 2009, a total of 26 275 marriages were celebrated in marriage registries, 2 823 in licensed places of public worship, and 21 979 by civil celebrants.

An appointment to give notice of intended marriage to the Registrar of Marriages can be made through the internet or telephone booking system. Since September 21, 2009, parties having made an appointment to give notice of intended marriage may submit the information required for registration of marriage through the internet.