Hong Kong's Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres to cease operations from 4 March 2023

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Citizens who have yet to replace their card with a new smart identity card can go to four specified Registration of Persons Offices.

Hong Kong's Territory-wide Identity Card Replacement Exercise (Replacement Exercise) is entering the final stage. The Immigration Department (ImmD) has announced the cessation of the operation of the Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres (SIDCCs) starting from 4 March 2023.

Eligible members of the public who have yet to replace their card for a new smart identity card on or before 3 March 2023, may, starting from 4 March 2023, make an appointment for identity card replacement at the following four Registration of Persons Offices (ROP Offices) with extended service hours for the following 24 working days effective 6 March 2023:

• Hong Kong Office
• Kowloon Office
• Kwun Tong Office
• Tuen Mun Office

Check here about the working hours of ROP Offices starting from 6 March 2023.

Residents may make an appointment and prefill the application form via the Immigration Department's mobile application or website. ROP Offices will not process applications without appointments.

For those who have made an application at an SIDCC, but have yet to collect their new smart identity cards, are required to collect their identity cards at specified ROP Offices starting from 6 March 2023.

Hong Kong residents who cannot have their identity cards replaced due to their absence from Hong Kong can apply for a replacement at an ROP office within 30 days upon their return to Hong Kong, whether the replacement or issuance is required under the Replacement Exercise or due to the reaching of 11 or 18 years of age.

The old form of smart identity cards is still valid at present. The ImmD will continue to closely monitor the progress of the replacement of new smart identity cards and has no plan to make arrangements for declaring any identity card invalid at this stage.

On the other hand, the On-site Identity Card Replacement Service would not be affected by the cessation of operation at SIDCCs. Immigration officers will continue to visit eligible residential care homes to provide on-site identity card replacement and new smart identity card delivery service for all eligible residents at residential care homes who have yet to replace their identity cards.

Image / news.gov.hk