Documents needed for Hong Kong adult ID card in 2026

New arrivals applying for an adult Hong Kong identity card must produce a valid travel document, passport, entry permit, One-way Permit, or an affidavit showing their residential status in Hong Kong. Hong Kong residents produce their juvenile identity card or previous identity card. If they never held a juvenile card, they produce a birth certificate plus proof of identity — such as a valid travel document or passport — or their latest school document bearing name, date of birth and a photograph authenticated by the school. Whichever category applies, the originals go with you to the interview. This follows the Immigration Department's "Identity Cards" Frequently Asked Questions page.

What documents do I need if I am a new arrival?

New arrivals prove identity and status with one of the following:

A valid travel document
A passport
An entry permit
A One-way Permit (Permit for Proceeding to Hong Kong and Macao)
An affidavit showing your residential status in Hong Kong

Suppose an applicant moves to Hong Kong on an employment entry permit. The permit and the passport it is issued against cover both parts of what the registration officer needs to see: who the person is, and on what basis they are resident.

One procedural point matters for this group. Arrivals from the Mainland holding One-way Permits who are aged 11 or above must make their first registration at the Registration of Persons – Kowloon Office, not at any other office.

What documents do I need if I am already a Hong Kong resident?

Residents applying for an adult card start with the card they already hold:

A juvenile identity card, or
A previous identity card

If you never registered for a juvenile card, the department asks for a birth certificate together with one of the following:

Proof of identity, such as a valid travel document or passport
Your latest school document bearing your name, date of birth and a photograph authenticated by the school — for example a student handbook or school record card

Here the birth certificate carries the record of birth, and the second document ties that record to the person standing at the counter.

Do I have to bring originals, or are copies enough?

Bring originals. The department states that when you attend your application interview, you should produce the originals of your supporting documents for verification and confirmation of identity by the registration officer.

Copies appear elsewhere in identity card work — for example, applications to amend registered particulars are sent in with copies first, and the office then asks you to attend an interview to produce the originals. For registration itself, plan on the original document.

Who actually has to register for an identity card?

Under the Registration of Persons Ordinance, all residents of Hong Kong aged 11 or above must register for an identity card, except those who have been exempted. The exempted groups include:

Genuine travellers in transit through Hong Kong, or persons permitted to stay for not more than 180 days
The aged, the blind and the infirm whose exemption has been approved by the Commissioner of Registration
Children aged under 11 of consuls, consular staff, and the Head and members of the Office of the Commission of the European Communities
Children aged under 11, unless they are Hong Kong permanent residents who need permanent identity cards for HKSAR passport applications

The 180-day exemption is the one most often misread by people relocating: a stay permitted for more than 180 days puts registration back on the table.

Where do I apply, and do I need an appointment?

For a first registration and most other applications, you book an appointment at a Registration of Persons (ROP) Office. The department's booking channels are its online booking system, a 24-hour telephone booking system (2598 0888), and the Immigration Department Mobile Application. The available booking period is currently 96 working days.

Three exceptions sit alongside that:

Applicants with an urgent need to replace a card that has been lost, destroyed, damaged or defaced may submit the replacement application at any ROP Office without an appointment.
Persons aged 18 or above holding a valid locally issued smart identity card can use the Personal Documentation Submission Kiosks (PDSKs) at the Immigration Headquarters in Tseung Kwan O, appointment-free, for three replacement types: replacement on reaching 18 while holding a card for persons aged 11 to 17; replacement with a permanent identity card after eligibility has been verified; and replacement due to loss. Invalid identity cards cannot be used at a PDSK. There are 44 PDSKs and 10 Personal Documentation Collection Kiosks (PDCKs) at the Headquarters.
Holders of a replacement notice, issued when an invalid card is surrendered at arrival clearance or on application, may apply for replacement at any ROP Office within the period specified on the notice, with no prior appointment. The department notes that waiting times at ROP Offices may be quite long, so allow sufficient time.

Self-service kiosks handle replacement, not first registration. A new arrival's first adult card goes through an ROP Office.

What are the photo rules for the card?

The photograph must show your full frontal face with clear facial features. The department will not accept a photograph in which you are, among other situations:

Seen with hair across the eyes or eyebrows
Wearing head coverings, such as a hat or headband
Wearing ornaments, such as earrings, that obscure the ear or face
Seen with reflection on the frame or tinted lens
Wearing a frame across the eyes or eyebrows
Wearing coloured contact lenses
Wearing overdone make-up
Not centred
Seen with exaggerated facial expressions
Seen with eyes tilted

A video of photo-taking tips is published by the department for applicants who want to check before the appointment.

I still hold an old card — what applies now?

Old-form smart identity cards issued before 26 November 2018 became invalid in phases during 2025. Phase I covered holders born in or after 1970, whose cards became invalid on 12 May 2025. Phase II covered holders born in 1969 or before, whose cards became invalid on 12 October 2025. Non-smart identity cards with a date of issue before 23 June 2003 were declared invalid with effect from 30 November 2008.

If you are replacing a non-smart identity card issued before 23 June 2003, the late application changes the paperwork slightly. In addition to the existing card and the documents required for the application, you may need to produce supporting documents explaining the reason for the late application. If you are not a permanent resident, you also produce your travel document showing your condition of stay in Hong Kong.

Timing rules that follow from this:

The Territory-wide Identity Card Replacement Exercise has ended, and all Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres closed with effect from 4 March 2023. Holders of old-form cards now book an appointment at any ROP Office.
Anyone unable to replace a card because they were absent from Hong Kong should replace it within 30 days of returning.
Applicants must apply for a new smart identity card in person, although they can authorise another person to collect it.
An invalid identity card is not accepted for immigration clearance; a valid travel document is required.

What happens after I apply?

You receive an acknowledgement of application for an identity card. It is a record of the application, not a travel document — if you intend to travel while holding only the acknowledgement, you are required under the law to produce a valid travel document such as a passport or Hong Kong Re-entry Permit at Hong Kong immigration control points.

Collecting the card works like this:

Tell the registration officer at the time of registration if you cannot collect in person.
Complete authorisation form ID678.
Have the authorised person attend, aged 18 or above.
Have them produce their own valid proof of identity, your acknowledgement, and the completed authorisation form or your written authorisation.

The signature on form ID678 or on the written authorisation must match the one signed on the application form.

Does it cost anything?

No fee is charged for identity cards issued to new arrivals and to people reaching the age of 11 or 18. Fees are payable for replacement of an identity card due to loss, damage, destruction, defacement or alteration of personal particulars. Separately, where an application to amend registered particulars is approved, the card is replaced at a fee of HK$460.

Three penalty figures appear in the same published rules. Failing to apply for a new identity card within the specified call-up period without reasonable excuse is an offence under Section 7B(3) of the Registration of Persons Ordinance, liable to a fine of $5,000 if prosecuted. Failing to comply with an order to replace a card within a specified period is an offence under regulation 19(4) of the Registration of Persons Regulations, liable to a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for 2 years. Possessing more than one identity card without reasonable excuse is liable to a fine of HK$50,000 and imprisonment for 2 years.

What if my name or date of birth needs correcting later?

Changes to particulars that appear on the card go through form ROP73, submitted with copies of supporting documents by post, by drop-in box, by fax, online, or through the Immigration Department Mobile Application. For a name change you produce documents relating to the change, such as a deed poll, marriage certificate or travel document. For a date or place of birth, you produce documents showing the correct date or place, such as household registration, a notarial certificate or a birth certificate. The office then asks you to attend an interview with the originals, and required documents are assessed case by case.

This article sets out published procedure for general reference only and is not personalised legal or immigration advice; where your own circumstances are involved, rely on the latest official wording or a qualified professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an appointment for a first adult identity card?

Yes, for a first registration you book an appointment at a Registration of Persons Office through the online booking system, the 24-hour telephone booking line (2598 0888) or the Immigration Department Mobile Application. Arrivals on One-way Permits aged 11 or above must make that first registration at the Registration of Persons – Kowloon Office. The booking window currently runs 96 working days ahead.

Can I submit photocopies of my travel document?

No, not for the registration interview. The department requires the originals of your supporting documents so the registration officer can verify them and confirm your identity. Copies are used at the submission stage of other applications, such as amendments to registered particulars, where the office later asks you to bring originals to an interview.

Is replacing a lost identity card free?

No. No fee is charged for cards issued to new arrivals and to people reaching the age of 11 or 18, but fees are payable for replacement of a card due to loss, damage, destruction, defacement or alteration of personal particulars.

I have been living outside Hong Kong and missed my replacement window. What applies to me?

If you could not replace the card because you were absent from Hong Kong, you should replace it within 30 days of returning. The department advises making an online appointment in advance when planning the trip back, since the booking period is 96 working days. If you are replacing a non-smart identity card issued before 23 June 2003, you may also need documents explaining the reason for the late application, and non-permanent residents must show a travel document stating their condition of stay.

Can someone else collect my new card for me?

Yes. Notify the registration officer when you register, complete authorisation form ID678, and have the authorised person — who must be 18 or over — bring their own valid proof of identity, your acknowledgement of application, and the completed form or your written authorisation. The signature on the authorisation must match the one on your application form.

What happens if I ignore an order to replace an invalid card?

You must apply within the period stated in the order. Failing to comply is an offence under regulation 19(4) of the Registration of Persons Regulations, carrying a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for 2 years. An invalid card is also not accepted for immigration clearance, so a valid travel document is needed to enter or leave Hong Kong.