The Immigration Department today announced that it will launch the electronic services for visa application and e-Visa arrangement on December 28, under which applicants can complete the entire visa application process online without having to visit an immigration office in person.

Under the new services, eligible applicants can submit their visa applications online through the department's mobile application, its website or the GovHK website.

Once their applications are approved, applicants can use the online payment service to pay the relevant fee and instantly download the e-Visa, which can be printed and saved as a PDF file on a mobile device.

The e-Visa, including the electronic Notification Slip for Entry Visa/Permit, Notification Slip for Conditions of Stay, and Foreign Domestic Helper - Notification Slip for Extension of Stay and Entry Visa, will replace the existing sticker-type labels for entry visas/permits, extension of stay and more.

After the e-Visa's launch, the department will cease issuing sticker-type labels. Labels including entry visas/permits and extension of stay issued before December 28 will remain valid in accordance with the information stated thereon.

An e-Visa contains a QR code, generated by the department's official encryption key, for anti-forgery purposes.

People can verify the information on the e-Visa by scanning the QR code with the department’s mobile application. But the information cannot be retrieved if other mobile applications are used.

They may also input the information on the e-Visa for verification by using the enquiry service through the department's mobile application, its website or the GovHK website.

The department said the e-Visa arrangement is not applicable to the entry visas/permits issued by Chinese diplomatic and consular missions or the immigration divisions of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's Mainland offices.

After the implementation of the electronic services for visa application, people may continue to use the existing methods to submit their applications and pay the fee.

The eligibility criteria of relevant applications and fees will remain unchanged regardless of the submission method, the department stressed.

For enquiries, call 2824 6111, or contact the department by fax at 2877 7711 or by email.