Hong Kong denied entry to more than 12,000 visitors in the first five months of 2025, the immigration chief said on Sunday, stressing that the effort signalled his department's firm stance on border control.
Director of Immigration Benson Kwok Joon-fung also said that the 12,452 visitors who were not allowed into Hong Kong represented about 0.062 per cent of the nearly 20 million inbound travellers recorded over the same period.
"There are a few reasons - for example, we might suspect their purpose for coming to Hong Kong is questionable, such as potentially coming to work illegally," he told a radio programme.
In such cases, allowing them to enter the city risked affecting job opportunities for residents, he added.
"There are also some who do not hold proper travel documents, for instance, not having applied for a visa to come to Hong Kong … And then there are also cases where we suspect the travel documents are forged."Kwok also said his staff "occasionally" faced resistance from visitors who were denied entry, but stressed that his officers were trained to handle such situations.
"Some might be unreasonable, hoping that by raising their voices, they can make us change our minds and grant them entry," he said.
"We have a responsibility to guard the southern gate of our country," Kwok said, adding that the Immigration Department would continue to work closely with its mainland Chinese counterpart.
Kwok also sought to address concerns among young people who had emigrated overseas after the 2019 anti-government protests, saying that Hong Kong residents maintained the freedom of entry and exit.
"If they haven't committed any illegal acts, the Immigration Department basically won't intercept them, let alone question them further," he said.
Kwok discussed key upgrades aimed at streamlining the immigration process, including the anticipated implementation of facial-recognition technology for eligible residents travelling to the airport by private car by the third quarter of this year.
He also revealed that a cross-border co-location arrangement - which allows passengers to go through one layer of customs clearance rather than two - was expected to commence operations at Huanggang Port sometime around "next year".
"This clearance mode involves aligning both sides' self-service e-channels or immigration counters along a boundary line," he said.
"Passengers can go through exit checks on one side and immediately proceed to entry checks on the other, eliminating the need to queue twice."
The crossing point had been specifically designed to accommodate the streamlined process, he added.
Kwok also shared updated figures for the Top Talent Pass Scheme, noting that more than 100,000 applications had been approved between its launch in 2022 and May 31 this year.
The immigration chief pointed to the success in attracting high-profile individuals, such as renowned snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan, who became a Hong Kong resident through the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.
World No 1 snooker player Judd Trump also became a Hong Kong resident under the same scheme in December last year, while former world champion Mark Selby is said to be considering taking up residency in the city with his family.
Director of Immigration Benson Kwok Joon-fung also said that the 12,452 visitors who were not allowed into Hong Kong represented about 0.062 per cent of the nearly 20 million inbound travellers recorded over the same period.
"There are a few reasons - for example, we might suspect their purpose for coming to Hong Kong is questionable, such as potentially coming to work illegally," he told a radio programme.
In such cases, allowing them to enter the city risked affecting job opportunities for residents, he added.
"There are also some who do not hold proper travel documents, for instance, not having applied for a visa to come to Hong Kong … And then there are also cases where we suspect the travel documents are forged."Kwok also said his staff "occasionally" faced resistance from visitors who were denied entry, but stressed that his officers were trained to handle such situations.
"Some might be unreasonable, hoping that by raising their voices, they can make us change our minds and grant them entry," he said.
"We have a responsibility to guard the southern gate of our country," Kwok said, adding that the Immigration Department would continue to work closely with its mainland Chinese counterpart.
Kwok also sought to address concerns among young people who had emigrated overseas after the 2019 anti-government protests, saying that Hong Kong residents maintained the freedom of entry and exit.
"If they haven't committed any illegal acts, the Immigration Department basically won't intercept them, let alone question them further," he said.
Kwok discussed key upgrades aimed at streamlining the immigration process, including the anticipated implementation of facial-recognition technology for eligible residents travelling to the airport by private car by the third quarter of this year.
He also revealed that a cross-border co-location arrangement - which allows passengers to go through one layer of customs clearance rather than two - was expected to commence operations at Huanggang Port sometime around "next year".
"This clearance mode involves aligning both sides' self-service e-channels or immigration counters along a boundary line," he said.
"Passengers can go through exit checks on one side and immediately proceed to entry checks on the other, eliminating the need to queue twice."
The crossing point had been specifically designed to accommodate the streamlined process, he added.
Kwok also shared updated figures for the Top Talent Pass Scheme, noting that more than 100,000 applications had been approved between its launch in 2022 and May 31 this year.
The immigration chief pointed to the success in attracting high-profile individuals, such as renowned snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan, who became a Hong Kong resident through the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.
World No 1 snooker player Judd Trump also became a Hong Kong resident under the same scheme in December last year, while former world champion Mark Selby is said to be considering taking up residency in the city with his family.
