Applying for a Hong Kong Certificate of Entitlement ID 881 in 2026
ID 881 is the form people living outside Hong Kong use to apply for a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. On the Immigration Department's official page for the form, the form is described as one that "is used to cater for persons residing outside Hong Kong who intend to apply for a Certificate of Entitlement laying claim to the right of abode" in the HKSAR. A completed ID 881 reaches the department in only two ways: by post or in person, both to the Receipt and Despatch Sub-unit at Immigration Headquarters in Tseung Kwan O. Fax is marked "Not Accepted".
The form page carries supplementary notes dated 15 June 2026.
Who is ID 881 for?
The Immigration Department's own description sets the boundary: the form serves persons residing outside Hong Kong who intend to apply for a Certificate of Entitlement by claiming the right of abode in the HKSAR.
So the first question to settle is not how to fill the form in, but whether your situation matches that description. If you live outside Hong Kong and you are claiming the right of abode, ID 881 is the form the department has published for you. Beyond that statement, the page does not set out who does or does not qualify for the right of abode itself — that question sits in the law and in the department's wider right-of-abode material, not in the form page.
A Certificate of Entitlement, in plain terms, is the document the department issues to verify that a person has the right of abode in Hong Kong. The form is the application for that document.
What comes with the application?
Two PDFs sit under this application on the Immigration Department's forms pages.
| Item | What it is | Size |
|---|---|---|
| ID 881 | The application form itself, in a Chinese and English bilingual version | 5 pages, 966 KB |
| ID 881A | Guidance notes giving general information about the application | 4 pages, 497 KB |
ID 881A is not something you send in. Its submission fields are marked "Not Applicable" for mailing, in-person delivery and fax. It exists to be read: the department states that applicants are strongly advised to go through the guidance notes before completing the application forms.
For an applicant who does not read Chinese, the practical detail is that both documents are published in a Chinese and English version, so the English text is part of the same PDF rather than a separate download.
Where do you send a completed ID 881?
Completed forms go to a single sub-unit, whether you post them or bring them in.
Receipt and Despatch Sub-unit, Immigration Department Ground Floor, Administration Tower, Immigration Headquarters, 61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories
The mailing address and the in-person address on the official page are identical. That matters for applicants abroad: posting the form and handing it in during a trip to Hong Kong land in the same place, and there is no regional office or overseas post listed on the page as an alternative destination.
| Channel | Accepted for ID 881 |
|---|---|
| Post | Yes, to the Receipt and Despatch Sub-unit address above |
| In person | Yes, to the same sub-unit |
| Fax | No — marked "Not Accepted" |
Two contact points are listed on the page for questions: the enquiry e-mail address enquiry@immd.gov.hk and the telephone enquiry number (852) 2824 6111. The e-mail address is presented for enquiries, not as a submission channel.
How to apply, step by step
Download ID 881A, the guidance notes, first. Read them before you start on the application form. Download ID 881 and complete it in the Chinese and English version. Check that every part of the form is filled in. Post the completed form to the Receipt and Despatch Sub-unit, or deliver it in person to the same sub-unit. Do not send it by fax, because fax is not accepted.
Suppose an applicant lives in Vancouver and wants the certificate before travelling. Under the submission rules on the page, the choice is between mailing the completed form to Tseung Kwan O or carrying it to the sub-unit in person; there is no fax route and no e-mail route for the form itself.
What the official pages do not settle
The form page and the guidance notes page cover what ID 881 is for, what the two documents contain, and where a completed form goes. They do not state a fee, a processing time, or a list of supporting documents, and they do not describe how the department assesses a claim to the right of abode. Anyone planning a timeline should confirm those points against the Immigration Department's current published information before sending anything.
This article describes a government form and how the department says it should be submitted. It is general information, not advice on your own case, and not a substitute for the department's current requirements or for professional advice on your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ID 881 only for people living outside Hong Kong?
The Immigration Department's page describes the form as catering to persons residing outside Hong Kong who intend to apply for a Certificate of Entitlement laying claim to the right of abode in the HKSAR. If you are outside Hong Kong and making that claim, this is the published form. The page does not address what people inside Hong Kong should file.
Can I email the completed form to the department?
No e-mail submission channel is listed. The page gives a mailing address and an in-person address, both at the Receipt and Despatch Sub-unit in Tseung Kwan O, and marks fax as not accepted. The address enquiry@immd.gov.hk appears as an enquiry contact for the form.
Do I have to submit ID 881A as well?
No. ID 881A is the guidance notes, and its submission fields are marked "Not Applicable" for post, in person and fax. The department advises applicants to read the notes before completing the application form, then submit ID 881.
Is ID 881 available in English?
Yes. The download is described as a Chinese and English version, five pages long, with a file size of 966 KB. ID 881A is also published in a Chinese and English version, at four pages and 497 KB.
Where exactly is the Receipt and Despatch Sub-unit?
It sits on the Ground Floor of the Administration Tower at Immigration Headquarters, 61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories. The same address applies whether the form arrives by post or is handed in.
Does the form page say how long the application takes or what it costs?
No. Neither the ID 881 page nor the ID 881A page states a fee, a processing time, or a document checklist. Confirm those details against the Immigration Department's current published information.