Press Release - May 17, 2004

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Canada) (HKETO) today (May 17) announced details of the third cycle of the Hong Kong Smart Identity (ID) Card Replacement Exercise proposed by the Immigration Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. The Order was made by the HKSAR Secretary for Security. Subject to the normal negative vetting procedures of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, the arrangement for the third cycle will be as follows:

People Eligible to Apply:

Holders of existing ID cards
born in 1956 or 1957

Application Period:
September 27 to November 27, 2004

Holders of existing ID cards
born in 1954 or 1955

Application Period:
November 29, 2004 to January 22, 2005

Holders of existing ID cards
born in 1952 or 1953

Application Period:
January 24 to March 12, 2005

A HKETO spokesman reminded: �Apart from HKID card holders born in 1962 or 1963 who are required to apply for their HK Smart ID cards between March 15 to May 22 this year, there are two age groups who are required to replace their Smart ID cards in the second cycle.�

The application date of the remaining age groups in the second cycle are as follows:

Those born in 1960 or 1961
May 24, 2004 - July 24, 2004

Those born in 1958 or 1959
July 26, 2004 - September 25, 2004

The application period for people born in 1962 or 1963 will end on May 22, 2004, the spokesman said. To avoid last-minute rush, eligible applicants should submit their applications with the necessary documents in person to any of the Smart ID Card Centres in Hong Kong as early as possible.

The ID card replacement exercise covers all holders of existing ID cards residing in or outside Hong Kong, whether they are permanent residents or temporary residents taking up employment, investment, residence, study or working as foreign domestic helpers.

The spokesman, however, advised that if existing Hong Kong identity card holder are not in Hong Kong when it is their turn to apply for a Smart ID card, they should apply for it within 30 days after their return to Hong Kong.

�Therefore, there is no need to rush back to Hong Kong solely for the purpose of replacing their identity cards,� he added.

For further information about the replacement exercise, please visit www.hketo.ca <>http://www.hketo.ca> or www.smartid.gov.hk <>http://www.smartid.gov.hk> or call the Hong Kong Immigration Department hotline at (852) 2824-6111.


For more information, please contact:
John Tam, Chief Information Officer of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at: (416) 924-5544 or email: [email protected]