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The Immigration Department announced today (March 3) the commencement of a pilot scheme for the Express e-Channel at the Lo Wu Control Point.
The purpose of the pilot scheme is to speed up self-service immigration clearance. All Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above who are existing e-Channel users may enrol to use the Express e-Channel.
Upon arrival in or departure from Hong Kong at the Lo Wu Control Point, residents can follow the signage to proceed to the enrolment e-Channel for self-service enrolment and immigration clearance. For enrolment, residents are required to give consent to the Director of Immigration for retrieval of their personal data from the chip in their identity card and storage of the data for subsequent self-service immigration clearance. Successfully enrolled residents can use the Express e-Channel for self-service immigration clearance when they travel through the Lo Wu Control Point.
When using the Express e-Channel, an enrolled resident need only place the card face of his smart identity card onto the document reader and push it inward to the upper edge. When he is prompted to take back the identity card, he can do so and enter the Express e-Channel for fingerprint verification. After successful fingerprint verification, he can leave the Express e-Channel.
Enrolment e-Channels and Express e-Channels are installed at both the Western Arrival Hall and Western Departure Hall of the Lo Wu Control Point. An enrolment office is also set up at the Western Arrival Hall to assist residents who cannot complete self-service enrolment.
For more information on the scheme, please visit the Immigration Departmentˇ¦s homepage at www.immd.gov.hk or call the enquiry hotline 2824 6111.
Ends/Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:39
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