The Immigration Department (ImmD) closed a week-long series of special evening and weekend service sessions at its Tseung Kwan O headquarters at 22:00 on 7 December. The pop-up counters were set up after last month’s devastating Wang Fuk Court blaze left more than 2 000 residents without passports, Hong Kong ID cards or limit-of-stay chops. During the extended hours, officials processed over 4 300 applications for replacement identity documents and urgent extension-of-stay requests.
Mobile teams were also dispatched to two temporary shelters in Tai Po, and shuttle buses ferried residents to the headquarters every 30–45 minutes. Crucially for employers, acknowledgement slips issued on the spot are being recognised by airlines, banks and landlords as temporary proof of identity, preventing payroll delays and tenancy disputes.
![Immigration Department wraps up after-hours document-replacement drive for Tai Po fire victims]()
Meanwhile, for residents and companies that need to arrange emergency visas or replacement travel documents while waiting for ImmD to re-issue IDs, VisaHQ’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers a rapid online concierge service. The platform can pre-screen applications, schedule courier pick-ups, and coordinate directly with consulates worldwide, helping travellers and HR teams restore mobility with minimum disruption during crises.
For expatriate staff whose visas or entry permits were destroyed, ImmD accepted on-the-spot extension applications to avoid inadvertent overstays – a move praised by global-mobility managers who faced potential compliance nightmares. The department is considering adding a ‘disaster mode’ to its forthcoming Smart Departure mobile app so residents can pre-authorise digital identity credentials for emergency activation.
The operation illustrates how immigration authorities can pivot quickly to disaster-response mode, ensuring that personal mobility – and by extension economic activity – continues even when physical documents are lost.
Mobile teams were also dispatched to two temporary shelters in Tai Po, and shuttle buses ferried residents to the headquarters every 30–45 minutes. Crucially for employers, acknowledgement slips issued on the spot are being recognised by airlines, banks and landlords as temporary proof of identity, preventing payroll delays and tenancy disputes.
Meanwhile, for residents and companies that need to arrange emergency visas or replacement travel documents while waiting for ImmD to re-issue IDs, VisaHQ’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers a rapid online concierge service. The platform can pre-screen applications, schedule courier pick-ups, and coordinate directly with consulates worldwide, helping travellers and HR teams restore mobility with minimum disruption during crises.
For expatriate staff whose visas or entry permits were destroyed, ImmD accepted on-the-spot extension applications to avoid inadvertent overstays – a move praised by global-mobility managers who faced potential compliance nightmares. The department is considering adding a ‘disaster mode’ to its forthcoming Smart Departure mobile app so residents can pre-authorise digital identity credentials for emergency activation.
The operation illustrates how immigration authorities can pivot quickly to disaster-response mode, ensuring that personal mobility – and by extension economic activity – continues even when physical documents are lost.
