A man scans a QR code for the government's Leave Home Safe app, used for contact tracing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, to enter Immigration Tower in Hong Kong on Dec 9, 2021.
(BERTHA WANG / AFP)
HONG KONG – The Immigration Department will launch electronic services for visa application and e-visa on Dec 28, allowing applicants to complete the entire visa application process online without having to visit an immigration office in person.
Under the new system, applicants will be able to apply for e-visas via the Immigration Department’s website or mobile app or the HKSAR government’s website.
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Once their applications are approved, applicants can use the online payment service to pay the required fee and download the e-visa instantly upon payment. The e-visa can be printed and saved as a PDF file on a personal mobile device, according to a government press release.
Following the implementation of electronic services, applicants may continue to use the existing methods to submit their applications and pay the fee
"The e-visa will replace the existing sticker-type labels for entry visas or permits, extension of stay and more," it says.
Upon implementation of the e-visa arrangement, the Immigration Department will cease issuing sticker-type labels. However, labels including entry visas or permits and extension of stay issued before Dec 28, 2021 will remain valid in accordance with the information stated thereon, said the press release.
An e-visa, which contains a QR code for anti-forgery purposes, enables people to verify the information on the e-visa by scanning the QR code with the Immigration Department’s mobile application.
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The e-visa arrangement is not applicable to the entry visas and permits issued by Chinese diplomatic and consular missions or the immigration divisions of the mainland offices of the HKSAR government.
Following the implementation of electronic visa application services, applicants may continue to use the existing methods to submit their applications and pay the fee, the release added.