Hong Kong Immigration Department
| 入境事務處 | |
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 4 August 1961 |
| Jurisdiction | Hong Kong |
| Headquarters | 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai |
| Employees | 6,569 |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | Official website |
| Immigration Department | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 入境事務處 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Pre-handover Name | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 人民入境事務處 | ||||||||
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| Transcriptions | |
|---|---|
| Yue: Cantonese | |
| Yale Romanization | Yahp gíng sih mouh chyu |
| Jyutping | Jap6 ging2 si6 mou6 cyu3 |
| Transcriptions | |
|---|---|
| Yue: Cantonese | |
| Yale Romanization | Yàhn màhn yahp gíng sih mouh chyu |
| Jyutping | Jan4 man4 jap6 ging2 si6 mou6 cyu3 |
The Immigration Department (Chinese: 入境事務處, known as 人民入境事務處 before the 1997 transfer of sovereignty) of the Government of Hong Kong is responsible for immigration control of Hong Kong. After the People's Republic of China assumed sovereignty of the territory in July 1997, Hong Kong's immigration system remained largely unchanged from its British predecessor model. Residents from mainland China do not have the right of abode in Hong Kong, nor can they enter the territory freely, both before and after 1997. There are different regulations that apply to residents of Macau, another Special Administrative Region of China. In addition, visa-free entry acceptance regulations into Hong Kong for passport holders of some 170 countries remain unchanged before and after 1997.
In a special arrangement, although Hong Kong's residents of Chinese descent are defined as citizens of the People's Republic of China, as stipulated by the Basic Law, Hong Kong's Immigration Department is independently responsible for issuing Hong Kong SAR passports for Hong Kong residents who are also PRC citizens seeking international travel.
Prior to the 1950s, immigration to Hong Kong was not controlled by the government of Hong Kong and migrants freely entered Hong Kong. But the end of World War II the influx of migrants from China to Hong Kong to flee Communist rule resulted in immigration control.
From 1949 to 1961, registration of persons with identification was required under the Registration of Persons Ordinance 1949 and established a Commissioner of Registration.
Until the establishment of Immigration Department on 4 August 1961, immigration control in Hong Kong was handled by the Hong Kong Police Force. The Immigration Service Ordinance 1961 created the new department in charge of immigration control. Later in 1977, the department enlarged its functions to cover registration of persons by amalgamating with the Registration of Persons Office and Director of Immigration also assumed as Commissioner of Registration. In 1979, the department took over from the Registrar General civil registration duties and the Director of Immigration was appointed as Registrar of Births and Deaths, and Registrar of Marriages.
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Wikipedia