ID card replacement exercise set

October 18, 2018

Voiceover: 
A citywide identity card replacement exercise will start in December.

Members of the Immigration Service, police officers and labour inspectors will have their identity cards replaced first, from December 27.

The Chief Executive, members of the Executive Council and the Legislative Council, and Principal Officials will also have the option of applying for the new smart identity card starting from the same day.

Holders of existing identity cards will be invited to attend one of the nine newly established Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres in phases according to their year of birth to have their identity cards replaced within specified periods.

Cardholders born in 1985 and 1986 will be invited to replace their identity cards between January 21 and March 30 next year.

Assistant Director of Immigration (Personal Documentation) Chan Tin-chee:
First of all, we have based (the exercise) on several criteria to determine the phases. The first one is how long has the current identity card been issued to the holders. The second one is the frequency of the holders crossing the control point. And also the distribution, the population distribution is also one of our considerations factors.

Voiceover: 
Residents who are presently overseas will not need to rush back to Hong Kong to replace their identity cards. They can do so within 30 days after their return to the city if they have missed their turn.

The replacement exercise is estimated to last about four years.

The city-wide identity card replacement exercise will start on December 27, the Immigration Department announced today.

Holders of existing Hong Kong identity cards will be invited to attend one of the nine newly established Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres in phases according to their year of birth, to have their cards replaced within specified periods.

Members of the Immigration Service, police officers and labour inspectors will have their identity cards replaced first to allow them to get familiar with the features of the new cards for fighting against illegal immigration and employment.

Existing identity card holders born in 1985 or 1986 will be invited to replace their cards between January 21 and March 30 next year.

They will be followed by those born between 1968 or 1969.

It is estimated the replacement exercise will last about four years.

Starting from November 26, those who apply for an identity card will receive the new smart identity cards.

This covers applications for those who need to apply for a juvenile identity card upon reaching the age of 11; people who have to apply for an adult identity card upon reaching the age of 18; new arrivals; those whose identity cards have been lost, destroyed, damaged or defaced; and people wishing to amend the particulars on their identity cards.

Click here for the addresses of the nine Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres.

For enquiries, please contact the Immigration Department at 2824 6111 or by email.