The Immigration Department (ImmD) announced today (April 7) that after a previous service suspension due to the epidemic, all Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres (SIDCCs) (see Annex I) have re-opened since April 1, 2022, and will resume full services from tomorrow (April 8) onwards. In order to arrange for persons affected to replace their Hong Kong identity cards (HKICs) in an orderly manner, the Secretary for Security has made an Amendment Order to revise the call-up programme for persons born in 1954 or before, 1983 to 1984 and 1987 to 2000. The details are as follows:
 

Eligible persons	Revised application period
Holders of the old form of smart HKIC born in 1983, 1984, 1987 or 1988	January 19 - July 23, 2022
Holders of the old form of smart HKIC born in 1989, 1990 or 1991	April 8 - July 23, 2022
Holders of the old form of smart HKIC born in 1992, 1993, 1994 or 1995	July 25 - October 6, 2022
Holders of the old form of smart HKIC born in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 or 2000	October 7 - December 10, 2022
Holders of the old form of smart HKIC born in 1954 or before	April 8, 2022 - January 14, 2023

     The Amendment Order will be tabled at the Legislative Council on April 27, 2022, for negative vetting.

     An ImmD spokesman said, "Due to the severity of the epidemic, the ImmD had suspended the replacement of HKICs at the nine SIDCCs under the Territory-wide Identity Card Replacement Exercise (Replacement Exercise) from February 4 to March 31 this year. Due to the previous service suspension of the SIDCCs, persons in the relevant age groups may be unable to apply for new HKICs in accordance with the call-up programme announced earlier. To this end, it was decided that the call-up programme should be revised so as to ensure that the Replacement Exercise will continue to be conducted in an orderly manner."

     The ImmD spokesman added, "Having regard to the epidemic situation and the progress of the Replacement Exercise, the Amendment Order, apart from extending the period for persons born in 1983, 1984, 1987 or 1988 to apply for new HKICs, has also revised the call-up programme for persons born in 1954 or before and 1989 to 2000. Citizens who have been called up for identity card replacement need not rush to SIDCCs at the beginning of service resumption to replace their identity cards. They can make appointments for replacement during their revised call-up periods."

    To avoid the gathering of crowds, the ImmD appeals to applicants to make appointments via the ImmD mobile application, the Internet (www.gov.hk/newicbooking), or the 24-hour telephone booking hotline 2121 1234. Residents may also scan the QR codes at Annex II to download the ImmD mobile application or to make an appointment for an identity card replacement via the Internet. The ImmD also appeals to applicants to pre-fill the application form when making appointments through the mobile application or the Internet for faster identity card replacement service. Applicants are required to bring along their old form of smart identity cards when they proceed to the SIDCCs.

     For details of the Replacement Exercise, please visit the website www.smartid.gov.hk or call the ImmD's enquiry hotline at 2824 6111.

Ends/Thursday, April 7, 2022
Issued at HKT 19:05

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