Hong Kong’s Immigration Department (ImmD) will wrap up a week-long set of special evening and weekend service sessions at its Tseung Kwan O headquarters at 10 p.m. tonight, December 6. The temporary arrangement—which began on December 1—was introduced after the catastrophic Wang Fuk Court blaze left more than 2,000 residents without their Hong Kong identity cards, passports, re-entry permits and other vital papers.
During the extended hours, affected residents have been able to file on-the-spot applications for replacement Hong Kong identity cards, HKSAR passports, Documents of Identity for Visa Purposes, Re-entry Permits, birth certificates and certified marriage certificates. Officials also accepted urgent “extension-of-stay” requests for non-permanent residents whose limit-of-stay chops were destroyed in the fire—ensuring that no one falls into an overstay predicament because of lost documents.
![Immigration Department’s Special Document-Replacement Sessions for Tai Po Fire Survivors Conclude Today]()
To maximise accessibility, ImmD deployed mobile teams at two temporary shelters in Tai Po and arranged shuttle buses running every 30–45 minutes to the headquarters. More than 4,300 applications were processed in the first five days, according to an internal tally seen by the Post. Residents who miss today’s deadline can still walk into any immigration office during normal office hours next week, but will no longer have access to the after-hours counters.
For employers managing expatriate staff, the ad-hoc service has minimised the risk of payroll or MPF delays triggered by missing ID numbers. Corporate mobility managers are being advised to remind affected staff to carry the acknowledgement slips issued at the time of application; airlines, banks and landlords have been told to recognise the slips as temporary proof of identity until the new documents are issued—typically within seven working days.
The fire has also prompted a broader review of Hong Kong’s emergency replacement mechanisms. A senior ImmD official told reporters that the department is considering adding a “disaster mode” to its upcoming Smart Departure mobile app, allowing residents to pre-authorise digital identity credentials that can be activated if physical documents are destroyed.
During the extended hours, affected residents have been able to file on-the-spot applications for replacement Hong Kong identity cards, HKSAR passports, Documents of Identity for Visa Purposes, Re-entry Permits, birth certificates and certified marriage certificates. Officials also accepted urgent “extension-of-stay” requests for non-permanent residents whose limit-of-stay chops were destroyed in the fire—ensuring that no one falls into an overstay predicament because of lost documents.
To maximise accessibility, ImmD deployed mobile teams at two temporary shelters in Tai Po and arranged shuttle buses running every 30–45 minutes to the headquarters. More than 4,300 applications were processed in the first five days, according to an internal tally seen by the Post. Residents who miss today’s deadline can still walk into any immigration office during normal office hours next week, but will no longer have access to the after-hours counters.
For employers managing expatriate staff, the ad-hoc service has minimised the risk of payroll or MPF delays triggered by missing ID numbers. Corporate mobility managers are being advised to remind affected staff to carry the acknowledgement slips issued at the time of application; airlines, banks and landlords have been told to recognise the slips as temporary proof of identity until the new documents are issued—typically within seven working days.
The fire has also prompted a broader review of Hong Kong’s emergency replacement mechanisms. A senior ImmD official told reporters that the department is considering adding a “disaster mode” to its upcoming Smart Departure mobile app, allowing residents to pre-authorise digital identity credentials that can be activated if physical documents are destroyed.
