I was born in Macau. Before the handover, anyone born in Macau was entitled to Portuguese nationality and could therefore have a Portuguese passport. When it expires, to get a new passport you have to have a current Portuguese identity card. Before my ID card reached its expiry date, I went to the Portuguese Consulate in Hong Kong, on January 24 of last year. I was told by an official that it would take about a year for me to get a new ID card, which seemed fine, as my passport was valid until January 23 of this year. However, that date has now passed and I am still waiting for my Portuguese ID card. I have gone to the consulate on two occasions to ask about the progress of my application and have been told it is still being processed back in Portugal. It seems I am not the only person having to endure a long wait. When I last visited the consulate on April 17, I met an applicant who told me he had been waiting 18 months for this new Portuguese ID card. I feel frustrated by this delay and concerned, because I have the chance to participate in an exchange programme with a university overseas and I may lose this opportunity if I do not have a valid Portuguese passport. Why is the Portuguese government department responsible for this matter taking so long to issue identity cards? LAW HOI-TOU, ADRIAN Tuen Mun