Immigration Department unveils e-visa

Starting next Tuesday, people including non-local students and foreign domestic helpers can submit their visa applications online through a new electronic visa application system launched by the Immigration Department.

The e-visa will replace the existing sticker-type labels for entry visas or permits, and for extension of stay. Labels which were issued before December 28 will remain valid. 

The entire process of application, payment and “e-visa” collection can be conducted online, without having to attend an Immigration Office in person.

Under the arrangements, eligible applicants can submit their applications online through the Immigration 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 fee and download the e-Visa instantly upon payment. 

The e-Visa can be printed or saved as a PDF file on a personal mobile device. 

It contains a QR code for verification purposes. People can verify the information on the e-Visa by scanning the QR code with the Immigration Department mobile app.  

After the implementation of the system, applicants may continue to use the existing methods to submit their applications and pay the fee. Regardless of the submission method, the eligibility criteria of relevant applications and fees remain unchanged. 

The department said that the electronic services will be introduced in phases, with the first phase covering applications for extension of stay, entry visas for foreign domestic helpers, immigration arrangements for non-local graduates, and the admission scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents. The applications concerned accounted for 80 percent of annual visa applications.

The arrangement is currently not applicable to the entry visas or permits issued by Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Missions or the Immigration Divisions of the Mainland Offices of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR.

Assistant principal immigration officer Hui Yat-ling said that the system would save the time required for traditional means of application submission and visa collection but would not affect the processing time.

She stressed that e-applications can reduce contact and protect public health under the pandemic: "What's more, there is no need to worry about delays in postal services while being more environmentally friendly.