Immigration Department to Set New Service Fees Soon

Traveling to Hong Kong entails one to go through the Immigration Department for inspection and to regulate cases of human trafficking in the country.

The Immigration Department also oversees the activity of travellers in the country as they enter through the various points of entry in Hong Kong. Moreover, department officials monitor the types of travellers entering the country as some of them come here to work, and are therefore issued the Hong Kong ID, to be classified as legal residents.

Immigration Department to Set New Service Fees Soon
Image Credit: Immigration Department

New Service Fees to be Posted by Immigration Department

The Immigration Department announced that it will be posting the revised fees for some services by March 25, as shared in a report by news.gov.hk.

The decision was made by the government stating that fees in general should be set at rates which can adapt and recover the full costs of providing services.

A recent costing review released by the government has shown the fees payable for services which include the issuing of visas/entry permits and travel documents, genetic tests and despatch service for delivering travel documents to locations outside Hong Kong are not sufficient to gain back the full cost for such services.

Based on the general guidelines for fee increases, the department plans to increase the fees for select services by 9% to 21%.

While the rates seem substantial, the department downplayed the change noting that this will have little impact on the daily life of its residents as well as on general business activities in the country.

The table on the relevant amendment regulation will be presented at the Legislative Council on January 23.

For more details on the policy change and its projected rates, click HERE.

The increase in fees will enable the department to support all the services they offer and to continuously improve their systems in handling immigration-related concerns and processes.

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