Pledges for different types of entry visa applications were generally fulfilled. In 2020, 98.9 per cent of employment visa applications were finalised within four weeks, exceeding the pledge of 90 per cent. For other visa applications, 99.3 per cent were finalised within six weeks, exceeding the pledge of 90 per cent. As regards visit visa applications, all were finalised within four weeks as pledged.

The department strives for excellence and go all out to deliver world-class immigration services for our citizens and visitors, winning the wide recognition of the quality of services.

In the same period, all applications for HKSAR Travel Passes, working holiday visas, entry permits for Mainland fisherman deckhands, entry permits under the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals, multiple visit permits for Taiwan residents for a stay of 30 days, and multiple entry permits for Chinese residents of Taiwan working, studying or residing in Hong Kong met the pledged standards. As regards Pre-arrival Registration for Taiwan Residents, all applications were finalised as pledged with results made known to the applicants on the day of application. Furthermore, all applications for Certificates of Entitlement to the Right of Abode in the HKSAR were finalised within three months, exceeding the pledge of 95 per cent.

In 2020, all the control points were able to clear Hong Kong residents within a 15-minute waiting time. As regards visitors, the Airport Control Point cleared all visitors within a 15-minute waiting time, which was better than the pledged standard. For other control points at the China Ferry Terminal, the Macau Ferry Terminal, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, the Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal, Lo Wu, Hung Hom, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, Express Rail Link West Kowloon, Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port, they were able to clear all visitors within a 30-minute waiting time on average. The Shenzhen Bay Control Point was able to clear 99.9 per cent of visitors within a 30-minute waiting time.

The department is always committed to providing high quality and courteous immigration clearance service.

With effect from 1 February 2019, the normal processing time for the issuance of a new smart identity card has been shortened from 10 working days to 7 working days (except Saturdays and general holidays). This performance pledge was fulfilled in 2020 with all identity cards issued on the seventh working day. Moreover, all applicants could be provided with the service on the day of attendance.

The service standard for completing the processing of applications for registration of births or deaths, or for giving notice of intended marriage at the counter within 30 minutes was generally met in 2020. Moreover, we achieved the pledged targets of issuing results of searches of birth, death or marriage records and issuing certified copies of such records within seven working days; and conducting searches of birth or death records and issuing certified copies of such records within 10 working days upon receipt of all necessary documents. For the birth or death records concerned that had already been converted into computer records, the pledge of issuing certified copies of birth or death certificates within 10 minutes could also be fulfilled.

With effect from 14 May 2019, the time required for processing applications for an HKSAR passport or a Document of Identity for Visa Purposes has been shortened from 10 working days to 5 working days, while the time required for processing applications for an HKSAR passport in relation to children aged under 11 not holding a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card has been shortened from 14 working days to 10 working days. In 2020, the pledges were fulfilled. Moreover, the pledge of issuing a Seaman's Identity Book and a Re-entry Permit on the same day of application was fulfilled.

In 2020, the pledge that all applicants would be issued with confirmation letters on declaration of change of nationality on the same day of application was fulfilled. The pledge that 80 per cent of applications for renunciation of Chinese nationality would be finalised within two months upon receipt of all necessary documents was also fulfilled. As regards applications for naturalisation as a Chinese national and restoration of Chinese nationality, the pledge of finalising 80 per cent of the applications within three months upon receipt of all necessary documents was fulfilled.

The department's homepage (www.immd.gov.hk) is available in traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese and English versions. It contains up-to-date information on immigration services and gives Internet users the convenience of downloading commonly used application forms. The homepage was revamped on 12 December 2020. Its mobile friendly design makes information readily accessible on mobile devices. Moreover, its clear and simple layout and website structure, as well as the use of infographics provide members of the public with a better browsing experience. In addition, it continues to provide a gateway for using our electronic services to facilitate public access to information about our services. Moreover, Web Accessibility Design is adopted to ensure that the contents are available and easily accessible for all, including persons with disabilities, the elderly and persons beset with colour-blindness, cognitive and physical issues such as dyslexia, etc.

The departmental homepage provides a gateway for using our electronic services to facilitate public access to information about our services.

The Hong Kong Immigration Mobile Application (Mobile Application) not only provides Hong Kong residents and visitors with the latest information on estimated passenger waiting time at major land boundary control points, but also posts the latest and frequently used information on our services.

Moreover, to tie in with the introduction of the new smart identity card and the commencement of the Territory-wide Identity Card Replacement Exercise, the department launched an updated version of the Mobile Application on 26 November 2018 to include new electronic services, namely 'Booking for General HKID Application', 'Information on HKID Replacement Exercise', and "Appointment Booking for replacing New Hong Kong Smart Identity Card". With the introduction of the Next Generation Electronic Passport and Electronic Document of Identity for Visa Purposes, additional functions, namely 'Application for HKSAR Travel Documents', 'Appointment Booking for HKSAR Travel Documents' and 'Collection of HKSAR Travel Documents', have been provided since 14 May 2019 to facilitate Hong Kong residents' application for HKSAR travel documents.

In active support of the Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new online service for visa application was introduced for the Mobile Application in 2020, providing greater convenience for visa applicants, sparing them the need to attend an Immigration Office in person while reducing non-essential social contact.

The official YouTube Channel 'Hong Kong Immigration Department' was launched to give the public access to information on the services and activities of the department anytime and anywhere. Video clips uploaded to the Channel are grouped under three categories, namely 'Easy Access', 'About Us' and 'Departmental Activities'. Under the 'Easy Access' category, the department has produced over 60 videos which feature services most commonly used by the public and their respective application requirements and procedures. In 2020, the department produced several short videos, which covered the promotion of the Passport Collection Kiosk, the repatriation operations on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan and in Wuhan, and a reminder for eligible residents about identity card replacement. For the other two categories, short videos introducing our work and activities have been uploaded, offering another avenue for the public to get to know about the department. The total number of views of the Channel has been over 22 million since its launch. The department will continue to produce more videos to better meet public needs and provide greater convenience for the public.

In 2020, two staff members of the department received The Ombudsman's Awards for Officers of Public Organisations, making it the 22nd consecutive year that our officers had been granted the awards, which is a recognition of our professionalism in complaint handling and our devotion to providing quality services for the public.

In 2020, two staff members of the department received The Ombudsman's Awards for Officers of Public Organisations

The department was voted the winner of the award for the World's Best Airport Immigration Service 2020 in the World Passenger Survey commissioned by Skytrax, an international specialist research agent of the air transport industry. This was the fourth time that the department had received the award after winning it in 2015, 2016 and 2019. The survey was conducted between September 2019 and February 2020, covering over 550 airports worldwide, and survey questionnaires were collected from air passengers of more than 100 nationalities. Getting the award again showed that our efforts to continuously improve our service standards had won the approval and recognition from international travellers.

The department's Next Generation Smart Identity Card System (SMARTICS-2) was given the Smart Business Grand Award and the Smart Business (Solution for Business and Public Sector Enterprise) Gold Award at the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2020 in recognition of the department's contribution and efforts in providing quality public services through utilising information technology.

Administered by the Civil Service Bureau, the SCS's Commendation Award Scheme aims at commending civil servants for their consistently meritorious performance. In 2020, five staff members of the department were commended under the Scheme. Our staff members had been commended for the 17th consecutive year since the introduction of the Scheme in 2004.

In 2020, five staff members of the department were commended under the SCS’s Commendation Award Scheme.

In recognition of our commitment to caring for the community, our staff and the environment, the department has been awarded the Caring Organisation Logo by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service since 2006 and the 15 Years Plus Caring Organisation Logo since 2020-21. In addition, two staff members were appointed as Caring Ambassadors in 2020-21 for their active participation in and support to social activities.

The department values all customer feedback, be it praises or complaints. Positive feedback from the public not only recognises our efforts in providing quality services, but also provides the foundation for raising the department's service standards. The Customer Services Unit of the department is set up to receive complaints and monitor the respective replies. Complaints received are treated positively and constructively in compliance with the standards of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), namely ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 10002:2018, and are taken as a source of motivation for further improvement. In the course of handling complaints, the department has the opportunity to examine the quality of services from different perspectives so as to better ourselves in meeting the expectations of our community.

It is the government's established policy objective to provide a barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities so that they can have access to premises and make use of the facilities and services therein on an equal basis with others, thereby enabling them to live independently and fully integrate into the community. In this regard, the department has equipped its premises with ancillary facilities and services for persons with disabilities, such as induction loop systems for persons with hearing impairment, tactile guide paths, special help-through channels at control points, etc. The department also reviews existing facilities regularly and makes improvements as far as feasible in order to provide quality services for them. Training is provided for staff, especially frontline staff who have frequent and direct contact with members of the public, to enable them to serve the public in a fair and just manner and to identify those who show signs of disability and are in need. Designated officers have been appointed in offices of the department to serve as the first points of contact on accessibility issues at the offices.

The department set up a variety of caring and accessible facilities in various offices, including babycare rooms.

The Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres introduces an indoor navigation system which allows the elderly and the visually impaired to navigate the locations of various facilities.

To further facilitate the use of self-service immigration clearance by visually impaired persons, in addition to the control points at Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, Macau Ferry Terminal, Shenzhen Bay, China Ferry Terminal, Lo Wu, Express Rail Link West Kowloon and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the voice navigated e-Channel service has been extended to the Hung Hom Control Point as well as the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point and is expected to come into operation in 2021. To use the service, visually impaired persons should first press the activation button at the entrance of the e-Channel to initiate the voice navigation function. Voice instructions will then guide them through all the steps, including the time when the gates open or close, to complete the clearance process.