Who can enrol for Contactless e-Channel in Hong Kong in 2026?
You can enrol for Contactless e-Channel in Hong Kong if you hold a smart Hong Kong identity card and fall into one of four groups: a Hong Kong permanent resident aged 11 or above; a resident aged 11 or above holding a Document of Identity for Visa Purposes; a resident aged 11 or above who has the right to land or is on unconditional stay; or a resident holding a notification label tied to a listed entry status such as student, foreign domestic helper, imported worker or a named talent scheme. Enrolment is free, and you have to do it yourself. These criteria come from the Immigration Department's "Immigration Clearance" Frequently Asked Questions page, as of the October 2026 version of the official page.
What is Contactless e-Channel?
Contactless e-Channel uses face verification to confirm identity at self-service immigration clearance. You do not present your identity card and you do not place a finger on a scanner. After enrolment, you can clear immigration with your Hong Kong smart identity card or with a QR code generated on your phone, using your facial image.
The service is designed to cut contact with shared equipment during automated clearance, and the department describes it as faster and more hygienic than the standard route. It is an optional service: if you choose not to enrol, you can still use self-service immigration clearance by fingerprint verification.
Who meets the eligibility criteria?
The published criteria apply to a Hong Kong resident holding a smart identity card, and clearance at a Contactless e-Channel is available after enrolment. The four qualifying groups are:
- A Hong Kong permanent resident aged 11 or above;
- A Hong Kong resident aged 11 or above holding a Document of Identity for Visa Purposes;
- A Hong Kong resident aged 11 or above who has the right to land or is on unconditional stay in Hong Kong; or
- A Hong Kong resident issued with a notification label.
"Right to land" and "unconditional stay" are immigration statuses in their own right; if you hold a Document of Identity for Visa Purposes, your status sits under the second limb rather than the third. The age threshold applies across all four groups, so a resident under 11 is not covered by the published criteria.
Which notification label holders qualify?
Notification labels are issued to people staying in Hong Kong under specific entry arrangements. Not every label holder qualifies — the published list covers six categories:
| Notification label category | Who it covers |
|---|---|
| Foreign domestic helper | A person in Hong Kong as a foreign domestic helper |
| Student | A person in Hong Kong on student status |
| Imported worker | A person admitted as an imported worker |
| Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS) | Non-local technical personnel admitted for employment, where the employer is a company subsidised under the New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme, and his or her dependants |
| General Employment Policy (GEP) and Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) | Non-local technical professionals admitted under the Technical Professionals Stream, and his or her dependants |
| Vocational Professionals Admission Scheme | A person admitted into Hong Kong on employment condition and his or her dependants |
If your label falls outside these six categories, the published criteria do not place you in the eligible group. This article is general information drawn from the criteria above and is not personalised legal or immigration advice, so check the Immigration Department's latest published information or consult a qualified professional about your own status.
Can someone else enrol for you?
No. Enrolment for Contactless e-Channel must be performed by the eligible Hong Kong resident himself or herself. You cannot authorise another person — a family member, an employer or a representative — to complete it on your behalf.
The same personal-identity logic runs through the rest of the service. Enrolment on a mobile phone requires identity verification through "iAM Smart", so a phone without iAM Smart installed and registered cannot be used to enrol.
What do you need on your phone?
To activate the e-Channel QR code after enrolment, you need the "Hong Kong e-Channel" mobile app, and "iAM Smart" must be installed and registered on the same phone first. You then select "Activate / Transfer e-Channel QR code" in the app to complete activation.
The phone itself has to support biometric authentication. For iOS, that means iOS 12.0 or above with Face ID or Touch ID. For Android, that means Android 8.0 or above with fingerprint authentication. The department recommends a more recent system version and enabling "Auto Date & Time" in your system settings.
Tablets are not supported. Because iAM Smart works on mobile phones only, and the e-Channel app relies on it for enrolment and activation, the app supports mobile phones only for the time being. The app itself is free from the Apple App Store, Google Play or Huawei AppGallery, though your mobile network operator may charge for the data used to download it, and roaming charges outside Hong Kong can be substantial.
Do you have to enrol?
No. Contactless e-Channel is an optional service, and declining it does not remove anything you already have. If you do not enrol, you can continue to use self-service immigration clearance by fingerprint verification.
What must you still carry after enrolment?
Carrying documents still applies. Under the Terms of Use for the service, an enrolled resident must carry a valid Hong Kong identity card and a valid travel document, where applicable, when using a Contactless e-Channel. The QR code does not replace either document.
If your identity card is lost and you only hold the acknowledgement form of application for an identity card (form no. ROP140 or ROP140A), you cannot use the service with your QR code — you must produce a valid travel document at a traditional counter. Once you collect your replacement card, you can go back to using Contactless e-Channel with the activated QR code, without updating, deleting or re-installing the app or re-activating the code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a fee to enrol or to use the app?
No. Eligible residents may enrol in the service for free, and the "Hong Kong e-Channel" mobile app is free to download and use. The only cost mentioned by the department is any charge from your mobile network provider for data used to download the app.
Can my child enrol?
Only from age 11. Every limb of the eligibility criteria carries the "aged 11 or above" condition, including permanent residents, holders of a Document of Identity for Visa Purposes, people with the right to land or on unconditional stay, and notification label holders.
I am a visitor, not a resident. Can I enrol?
The published Contactless e-Channel criteria are written for Hong Kong residents holding a smart identity card, so visitors are not covered by them. Frequent visitors have a separate route: the "Go Hong Kong" mobile application allows enrolment for e-Channel service by people aged 18 or above who hold a valid electronic travel document from a designated country (plus a multiple visit visa where applicable), have no adverse record in Hong Kong, and have visited via Hong Kong International Airport two or more times in the past 24 months at the time of enrolment.
What should I do if I lose the phone holding my QR code?
You can go to an e-Channel Enrolment Office to deactivate the QR code by cancelling your enrolment. Alternatively, install the app on a new phone, use the "Activate / Transfer e-Channel QR code" function and verify your identity through iAM Smart; once the transfer succeeds, the QR code on the lost phone becomes invalid. iAM Smart must be installed and registered on the new phone first.
Does switching to a new phone or resetting the old one cancel my enrolment?
No. On a replacement phone, or after deleting the app or restoring the phone to factory settings, you download the app again and use the "Activate / Transfer e-Channel QR code" function with iAM Smart verification. After a successful transfer, the QR code on the old phone becomes invalid and you can carry on using the service.
Will skipping enrolment affect my existing e-Channel access?
No. Contactless e-Channel is optional, and if you do not enrol you can still perform self-service immigration clearance by fingerprint verification at e-Channels.