Various departments today announced the latest arrangements for public services in response to the situation of the COVID-19 infection in Hong Kong.

From tomorrow, the Leisure & Cultural Services Department will close the leisure venues and cultural facilities reopened earlier this month.

Other venues and facilities that were not reopened will remain closed until further notice. Refund arrangements in relation to closure of those venues and facilities will be announced in due course.

All Home Affairs Department community halls and community centres will be closed.

Except for Sham Shui Po district, all Home Affairs Enquiry Centres will be open between 10am and 3pm from Monday to Friday (between 10am and 3pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only for the Mui Wo centre). The service to administer declarations or oaths/affirmations for private use will be available.

The Immigration Department will provide limited services from March 23 including for urgent application and collection of Hong Kong travel documents, replacement of identity cards and first registration of identity cards for new arrivals to Hong Kong, application of foreign domestic helpers’ visa and extension of stay.

The Transport Department's driving test centres will suspend services from March 23. All driving tests (road tests) originally scheduled for March 23 and thereafter will be suspended until further notice.

The department’s Licensing Offices will continue to suspend walk-in counter services, but will process licensing applications submitted by applicants with scheduled appointments, by post or online.

Hongkong Post will maintain its mail delivery services from Monday to Saturday, but mail collection from posting boxes will only be provided on alternate days.

All post offices will maintain their normal opening hours but advance their closing hours to 4pm from Monday to Friday, while their business hours on Saturdays will remain normal (except for the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office and the Airport Post Office, which will advance their closing hours to 4pm on Saturdays). 

The Judiciary announced that the General Adjourned Period, which has been in effect since January 29, will be extended for two weeks from tomorrow until April 5.

No court hearings will be held tomorrow except for fresh remand cases at the Magistrates' Courts. The courts may continue to deal with cases on paper if the presiding Judge or Judicial Officer considers them to be urgent and essential court business.

Court hearings originally scheduled for March 24 to April 5 will be adjourned and will not be held unless they are urgent and essential as directed by the court.  

Click here for the latest public service arrangements.