Hong Kong Regulations

REGISTRATION OF PERSONS REGULATIONS - REGULATION 4

Registration, issue and renewal requirements

(Past version on 12/05/2003).
(Past version on 01/07/1997).
(Past version on 30/06/1997).

(1) Subject to subregulation (1D), every person who applies for registration
under regulation 3 or for an identity card under any of these regulations
shall-

   (a)  submit to all such steps as may be reasonably necessary for-

        (i)    the taking of photographs of himself in accordance with any
               directions given by a registration officer;

        (ii)   the taking and recording of- (A) his left and right
               thumb-prints; (B) where it is only possible to take one
               thumb-print from him, his only thumb-print and one other
               fingerprint; (C) where it is not possible to take any
               thumb-print from him, his fingerprints of 2 other fingers; (9
               of 2003 s. 9)

   (b)  furnish to a registration officer, in such form as the
        registration officer may require, particulars of- (L.N. 382 of 1989)

        (i)    the full personal name and surname of the applicant;

        (ii)   his residential and business addresses in Hong Kong, if any,
               and the address to which correspondence should be directed;

        (iii)  the nationality which he claims;

        (iv)   his place of birth;

        (v)    the date (if known) or the year of his birth and the number of
               his birth certificate or adoption certificate (if applicable);

        (vi)   his sex;

        (vii)  (Repealed 9 of 2003 s. 9)

        (viii) whether he is married or unmarried and, if he is married, the
               full personal name and surname and the number of the identity
               card (if any) of his spouse;

        (ix)   (Repealed 9 of 2003 s. 9)

        (x)    his profession, occupation, trade or employment;

        (xi)   any- (A) travel document bearing an endorsement to the effect
               that he is authorized under the Immigration Ordinance (
               Cap 115) to remain in Hong Kong; or (B) document issued under
               that Ordinance authorizing him to remain in Hong Kong, held by
               him; (9 of 2003 s. 9)

(xia) (where the applicant does not have a right of abode in Hong Kong) the
conditions of stay (including a limit of stay) imposed in relation to him
under section 11 of the Immigration Ordinance ( Cap 115);

(9 of 2003 s. 9)

        (xii)  such further particulars relating to any of the particulars
               furnished under this paragraph as the registration officer may
               consider necessary, and shall acknowledge the correctness of
               the contents of the particulars by signing in such place in the
               form as may be indicated. (L.N. 204 of 1979; L.N. 86 of 1983;
               L.N. 65 of 1986; L.N. 178 of 1987)

(1A) For the purposes of subregulation (1)(b), but subject to subregulations
(1B) and (1C), the full personal name and surname of an applicant shall be his
full personal name and surname entered- (L.N. 86 of 1983)

   (a)  on his birth certificate or adoption certificate (if applicable), in
        the case of an applicant born in Hong Kong;

   (b)  on his travel document, in the case of an applicant who has landed in
        Hong Kong lawfully within the meaning of the Immigration  Ordinance (
        Cap 115);

   (c)  on the document issued under the Immigration Ordinance ( Cap  115)
        authorizing him to remain in Hong Kong, in the case of an applicant
        who has landed in Hong Kong unlawfully within the meaning of the
        Immigration Ordinance ( Cap 115);

   (d)  on his identity card (if any) held by him; and

   (e)  on his certificate of naturalization, in the case of a person who has
        been naturalized in Hong Kong as a Chinese national, (71 of 1999 s. 3)
        except that the Commissioner may, if he is satisfied that the
        applicant is commonly known by another name, accept that name in
        respect of the applicant. (L.N. 204 of 1979; L.N. 178 of 1987)

(1B) (a) When applying for an identity card under any of these regulations-
(L.N. 178 of 1987)

        (i)    a married woman who was registered under her maiden name may,
               subject to production to the registration officer of her
               marriage certificate, apply in writing for her identity card to
               be issued or renewed in her married name; and

        (ii)   a divorced woman, or a woman whose marriage has been declared
               null and void, who was registered under her married name may,
               subject to production to the registration officer of a copy of
               the decree absolute or the decree of nullity, as the case may
               be, apply in writing for her identity card to be issued or
               renewed in her maiden name.

   (b)  The registration officer may grant or refuse an application made under
        paragraph (a) as he thinks fit.

        (c)	In this subregulation the expressions "null and void" (作廢及無效), 


"decree absolute" (絕對判令) and "decree of nullity" (婚姻無效判令)
have the same meaning as in the Matrimonial Causes Ordinance ( Cap 179). (L.N.
86 of 1983)

(1C) Notwithstanding that an applicant has furnished particulars of his
personal name and surname under this regulation, any identity card that is
issued to him may-

   (a)  where the applicant has satisfied the Commissioner under subregulation
        (1A) that he is commonly known by another name, bear that name;

   (b)  bear initials in place of his personal name; and

   (c)  where the personal name and surname are in Chinese, bear their first 6
        characters only. (L.N. 178 of 1987)

(1D) A registration officer may waive-

   (a)  subject to regulation 3A(2), in the case of an applicant who the
        registration officer is satisfied lives outside Hong Kong, all or any
        of the requirements of subregulation (1);

   (aa) in the case of an applicant who is aged, blind or infirm, and who
        satisfies a registration officer that compliance with the Ordinance
        and these regulations will injure his health or the health of others,
        all or any of the requirements of subregulation (1); (L.N. 260 of
        1996)

   (b)  in the case of a person under 11 years of age applying for a permanent
        identity card, the requirement for the applicant to submit to the
        steps specified in subregulation (1)(a);

   (c)  the requirement for an applicant to furnish all or any of the
        particulars specified in subregulation (1)(b), if the
        registration officer considers that he already has in his possession
        sufficient details of those particulars. (L.N. 178 of 1987)

(2) If an applicant is unable to write, or if he so wishes, he shall dictate
the particulars under subregulation (1)(b) to a registration  officer or to
any person authorized in writing by the Commissioner for the purpose, and,
upon completion, the applicant shall acknowledge the correctness of the
particulars by affixing his signature, fingerprint or mark in the presence of
the registration officer or the person authorized as aforesaid in such place
in the form as may be indicated. (L.N. 178 of 1987)

(3) (Repealed L.N. 178 of 1987)

(4) Notwithstanding subregulations (1) and (2)-

   (a)  an applicant who is a consul may furnish, and the registration 
        officer may accept, suitable passport size photographs-

        (i)    of the consul and of the spouse and dependent children of the
               age of 11 years and above of the consul; and

        (ii)   of the consular staff of the consul and of their spouses and
               their dependent children of the age of 11 years and above; and

   (b)  an applicant who is the Head of the EC Office may furnish, and the
        registration officer may accept, suitable passport size photographs-

        (i)    of the Head of the EC Office and of the spouse and dependent
               children of the age of 11 years and above of the
               Head of the EC Office; and

        (ii)   of any member of the EC Office and of the spouse and dependent
               children of the age of 11 years and above of such member, and
               the recording of their fingerprints shall not be required.
               (L.N. 165 of 2003) (L.N. 158 of 1973)

"null and void" (作廢及無效), "decree absolute" (絕對判令) and
"decree of nullity" (婚姻無效判令)