Step-by-Step Guide to Replacing a Lost or Damaged Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card Abroad

As of 1 January 2025, the Immigration Department of Hong Kong (ImmD) will no longer accept applications for a Certificate of Exemption (CoE) from holders of a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card (HKPIC) who are overseas. This regulatory shift, formalised through an update to the Immigration Service Standing Orders (ISSO), means that a lost or damaged HKPIC can only be replaced via a direct application to the ImmD’s Registration of Persons Office—and cannot be substituted with the previously available CoE, which allowed temporary travel without a valid card. For the estimated 1.2 million Hong Kong Permanent Residents residing abroad (according to the 2024 Hong Kong Population By-census), this change introduces a new, mandatory procedure with strict documentary and timeline requirements. This guide sets out the exact steps, the required forms, and the permitted exceptions under the Registration of Persons Ordinance (Cap. 177). Failure to follow the procedure correctly can result in a delay of 6 to 12 weeks, or, in cases of non-compliance, a fine of up to HK$5,000 under Section 7L of Cap. 177.

Step 1: Determine Your Eligibility and the Applicable Procedure

The legislation provides a clear distinction between a lost card, a damaged card, and a stolen card. Each triggers a different initial step, and the ImmD requires you to select the correct category on Form ROP-100.

Lost or Stolen Card: Immediate Police Report

If your HKPIC is lost or stolen, you must report the loss to the local police in your country of residence within 14 days of discovery. The police report must state the date and circumstances of the loss. This is not a Hong Kong police report; a report from any recognised law enforcement authority (e.g., the Metropolitan Police in the UK, the Garda Síochána in Ireland, or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada) is acceptable. The ImmD will cross-reference the report number with the issuing authority. Without this report, the ImmD will not process the replacement application.

Damaged Card: No Police Report Required

If the card is damaged (e.g., cracked, delaminated, or the chip is unreadable), you do not need a police report. You must, however, retain the damaged card. The ImmD requires you to surrender the damaged card when you submit your application. If you destroy the card before submitting the application, the ImmD will treat the case as a lost card and require a police report. The practical consequence is a delay of at least 4 weeks.

Determining Your Status: Permanent vs. Non-Permanent

Only holders of a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card (which bears the notation “**” or “” on the front) can use this procedure. If you hold a Hong Kong Identity Card (non-permanent), you must apply for a replacement through the ImmD’s general replacement procedure, which requires in-person attendance at a Registration of Persons Office in Hong Kong. There is no overseas alternative for non-permanent cards.

Step 2: Complete Form ROP-100 and Gather Supporting Documents

The ImmD requires you to complete Form ROP-100 (Application for Replacement of Identity Card). This form is available for download from the ImmD website (www.immd.gov.hk). You must print it, complete it in black ink, and sign it. Electronic submissions are not accepted for overseas applications.

Required Documents

You must provide the following original or certified true copies:

• Form ROP-100: Completed and signed.
• Police Report: If lost or stolen, the original police report (or a certified copy).
• Damaged Card: If damaged, the physical card itself.
• Proof of Permanent Residency: A copy of your current HKPIC (if available) or your Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card number. If you do not have the card number, provide your Hong Kong birth certificate or your Certificate of Permanent Residency (if issued).
• Proof of Identity: A copy of your valid passport (the one you used to enter Hong Kong or your current nationality passport).
• Proof of Overseas Address: A recent utility bill, bank statement, or government correspondence dated within the last 3 months showing your name and current residential address.
• Two Recent Passport-Size Photographs: 50mm x 40mm, with a white background. The photographs must meet the ImmD’s specifications (full face, no hat, no sunglasses, ears visible).

Certification of Documents

The ImmD requires that all copies of identity documents be certified as true copies by a notary public, a commissioner for oaths, or a Hong Kong-based consular officer. A simple photocopy will be rejected. The certifier must state “Certified true copy of the original” and sign with their full name, qualification, and date. This is a critical step; failure to certify documents is the single most common reason for application rejection.

Step 3: Submit the Application by Post or in Person at a Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO)

The ImmD provides two methods for submitting the completed application from overseas.

Method A: Post to the Registration of Persons Office (Hong Kong)

You may post the completed Form ROP-100, all supporting documents, and the required fee to the following address:

Registration of Persons Office Immigration Department 7/F, Immigration Tower 7 Gloucester Road Wan Chai, Hong Kong

The ImmD advises using a courier service (e.g., DHL, FedEx, or Hongkong Post Speedpost) that provides tracking. The ImmD does not accept responsibility for lost mail. The fee for a replacement HKPIC is HK$370 (as of 2025). You must pay this fee by bank draft drawn on a Hong Kong bank, payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region”. Personal cheques from overseas banks are not accepted.

Method B: Submit at a Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO)

If you are in a jurisdiction where a HKETO operates, you may submit the application in person. HKETOs are located in:

• London, United Kingdom: 18 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3JA
• Brussels, Belgium: 10th Floor, Avenue de Tervueren 188A, 1150 Brussels
• Geneva, Switzerland: 3rd Floor, 80 Rue de Lausanne, 1202 Geneva
• New York, USA: 115 East 57th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10022
• San Francisco, USA: 130 Montgomery Street, Suite 221, San Francisco, CA 94104
• Washington, D.C., USA: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
• Singapore: 7 Temasek Boulevard, #12-07 Suntec Tower One, Singapore 038987

The HKETO will forward the application to the ImmD in Hong Kong. They do not issue the card on the spot. The processing time is the same as for postal submissions.

Step 4: Pay the Fee and Await Processing

The ImmD processes replacement applications within 6 to 12 weeks from the date of receipt of a complete application. The ImmD does not provide a status update unless you submit a written enquiry after 8 weeks.

Fee Structure

The fee for a replacement HKPIC is HK$370. There is no additional surcharge for overseas processing. If the card was stolen and you have a police report, the fee is still HK$370. There is no waiver for theft.

Method of Payment

As noted, payment must be by bank draft drawn on a Hong Kong bank. If you do not have a Hong Kong bank account, you can purchase a bank draft from a Hong Kong bank’s overseas branch (e.g., HSBC, Standard Chartered, or Bank of China). The draft must be made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region”. Do not send cash.

What Happens After Approval

Once the ImmD approves the application, they will mail the new HKPIC to your overseas address by registered post. The card will be sent in a tamper-evident envelope. You must sign for it upon delivery. If you are not at the address, the postal service will leave a notice for collection at the local post office. You have 14 days to collect it.

Step 5: Collect the Card and Update Your Records

Receiving the new card is not the final step. The ImmD requires you to update your records with the Hong Kong Immigration Department within 30 days of receiving the new card.

Updating the ImmD

You must complete Form ROP-101 (Notification of Change of Address) and submit it to the ImmD. This form is available on the ImmD website. You can submit it by post or email (rop@immd.gov.hk). The ImmD will update your registered address in the Registration of Persons database.

Practical Implications for Travel

The new HKPIC is a valid travel document for entering Hong Kong. However, you should note that the card itself does not replace your passport. If you are a Hong Kong Permanent Resident with the right of abode, the HKPIC serves as proof of that right when combined with a valid passport (e.g., a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport or a foreign passport). If you plan to travel to Hong Kong before receiving the new card, you must apply for a Certificate of Identity (COI) from the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate. The COI is a temporary travel document valid for one journey to Hong Kong.

Data Protection and Card Security

The ImmD advises that you destroy the old card (if damaged) by cutting it into small pieces across the chip and the photo. For lost cards, the ImmD will cancel the old card number in their system. If you later find the lost card, you must not use it. You must return it to the ImmD.

Closing: Five Actionable Takeaways

1. Report a lost or stolen HKPIC to local police within 14 days; without the police report, the ImmD will not process the replacement.
2. Submit Form ROP-100 with certified true copies of all identity documents; uncertified photocopies will be rejected, causing a 4-week delay.
3. Pay the HK$370 fee by bank draft drawn on a Hong Kong bank; personal cheques or cash are not accepted.
4. Allow a minimum of 6 weeks for processing; the ImmD does not expedite overseas applications, and you cannot track the status online.
5. Update your address with the ImmD using Form ROP-101 within 30 days of receiving the new card; failure to do so may result in a fine of up to HK$5,000 under the Registration of Persons Ordinance (Cap. 177).

This does not constitute legal advice. Consult a solicitor for your specific case.