Immigration Says Again: FDHs Should Also Replace their HKIDs

Foreign domestic helpers and other migrants working, studying, or residing in Hong Kong with a visa are included in the government’s ongoing territory-wide identity card replacement exercise, the Immigration Department has reiterated.

A spokeswoman for Immigration clarified this as the second phase of replacing the HK ID card of people born in 1985 and 1986, kicked off. The replacement exercise started on Dec. 27 last year.

Everyone will be invited to go to any of the nine newly established Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres, or SIDCCs, in phases according to their birth year, to have their HKICs replaced within specified periods, the spokeswoman said. 

She said the SIDCCs are open Mondays to Saturdays, 8am to 10pm, except on public holidays.

She reminded migrants, particularly domestic helpers, of the following: 

1. Holders of existing smart HKIDs born in 1985 or 1986 should apply for a new smart identity card in person at SIDCC by Mar 30; 

2. They may book appointments via the Internet (www.gov.hk/newicbooking), the Immigration mobile application or the 24-hour telephone booking hotline 2121 1234; 

3. They should pre-fill the application form when booking appointments online or through the mobile application for faster registration, and

4. They should bring their existing smart HKIDs and travel documents (or passports) bearing the working visa when they go to the SIDCCs. 

For this exercise, the department is implementing a new “caring arrangement” under which eligible applicants may bring along up to two family members or friends aged 65 or above to replace their smart IDs together during the same visit.

The department said it will announce the arrangements for other age groups in due course. It said if eligible residents are absent from Hong Kong during their call-up period, they can apply within 30 days of their return to the city.

Smart HKIC replacement centers

(Source: www.sunwebhk.com)