'Minor' applicants can get appointments

I REFER to the letter from Mr Eric Ling, headlined, 'Long wait proved fruitless' (South China Morning Post, July 29).

Tai Po Office is an immigration office which provides multifarious services including applications for travel documents, registration for Hong Kong identity cards, extension of stay and visas, etc. Like all other immigration branch offices, it operates on a quota system, that is, on a first-come-first-served basis. The number of quotas are as follows: Registration of Persons Office (ROP) services - weekdays, 170; Saturdays, 100. Hong Kong Re-entry Permit - weekdays, 130; Saturdays, 80; Travel documents and others - weekdays, 50; Saturdays, 30.

The size of the quota is worked out on the basis of demand for different types of services, the time required for processing various applications and, above all, the availability of manpower and accommodation. Since the introduction of the phased programme for BN(O) registration, there has been an enormous upsurge in the demand for BN(O) passports. Although passport applications may be submitted by post or by means of the 'drop-in' boxes, many applicants still choose to submit their applications in person. As a result, the demand for services at branch offices has remained at a high level. It is therefore not uncommon that the quota is full soon after the office is open for business during the day and that the latecomers have to be turned away.

However, the majority of them can always make use of the 'drop-in' boxes provided at branch offices to submit their applications for British passports or Hong Kong Certificates of Identity.

In order to facilitate children under the age of 11 whose attendance is required for applying for BN(O) passports and for registration of permanent identity cards at the same time, we have introduced an appointment system at Tai Po, Yuen Long and Fanling offices, so that minor applicants who are unable to obtain a tag on a day make an appointment to get service on another day.

Five additional appointments have been reserved daily (except Saturday) for these minors. Because of limited resources, appointments may only be provided to the above category of minor applicants whose attendance at the office is required.