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Following is a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, to a question by the Hon Howard Young on waiting time of visitors in the Legislative Council today (February 28):
Question:
In view of the continuous increase in the number of visitors to Hong Kong in recent years, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the respective average waiting time for visitors to Hong Kong to complete entry/exit formalities at each immigration control point; and
(b) the measures to shorten the waiting time?
Reply:
Madam President,
Our detailed reply to the question raised by the Hon Howard Young is as follows:
(a) It is the performance pledge of the Immigration Department (ImmD) to complete immigration clearance for 92 per cent of visitors within 15 minutes at the airport and within 30 minutes at the sea and land control points.
In January 2007, the average waiting time of visitors was at Annex.
(b) To cope with an ever-increasing number of visitors, we will, in addition to simplifying the clearance procedures and flexible staff deployment, make good use of information technology so as to ensure smoother immigration clearance for visitors. The ImmD plans to extend the e-Channels facilities to visitors holding Travel Pass on a trial basis within 2007. In a longer run, we will establish more control points. It is expected that the opening of a departure terminal at the SkyPlaza of the Airport in March 2007 and the commissioning of the control points for the Shenzhen Bay Port and the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line later this year will help ease the busy traffic at various control points.
Ends/Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:01
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